Kureau of Standards

AUG 2 7

COMMERCIAL

STANDARDS

A Review of Progress in

Commercial Standardization and Simplification

Photographed by Army Air Corps AIRPLANE .VIEW OF BUREAU OF STANDARDS (LOOKING SOUTH)

ISSUED BY THE BUREAU OF STANDARDS OF THE UNITED

STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, WASHINGTON, D. C., U. S. A.

Vol. 9, No. 2 AUGUST, 1932

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, O. C.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

ROY D. CHAPIN, Secretary

BUREAU OF STANDARDS

LYMAN J. BRIGGS, Acting Director

COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY, S. F. Tillman, Editor

The Commercial Standardization Group

A. S. McAllister, Assistant Director

DIVISION OF SIMPLIFIED PRACTICE

Edwin W. Ely

The division of simplified pradfice cooperates with industrial and commercial groups to reduce wadfe, usually through

eliminating unnecessary variety of produdt, method, or

pratflice. Its fundtion is to bring together all parties inter- ested in a projedt of this charadter, and to coordinate their

work in developing a simplified pradtice recommendation.

Such work includes surveys of current pradtice, formulation of a simplified pradtice program, and presentation of

that program for adtion by a general conference representing

all interests. The division then transmits to all concerned

a full report of the general conference, with a requeSt for written acceptance of the adtion taken. When the volume

of acceptances is sufficient to indicate initial success, the

Department ofCommerce indorses the program and publishes

the recommendation. The division thereafter cooperates

with a Standing committee appointed by the induStry concerned, in condudting periodic surveys to determine the

degree of adherence, to maintain and extend support of the

recommendation, and to secure data for reaffirmation or

revision. Simplified pradtice may be applied to any commodity or adtivity in which it will reduce

waSte. The division Stands ready to render

service in developing and making effedtive any application of simplified pradtice which

will reduce waSte, Stabilize business, or extend commerce.

BUILDING AND HOUSING DIVISION

J. S. Taylor

STANDARDIZATION

..IS.. A CONTINUING PROCESS

DIVISION OF SPECIFICATIONS

A. S. McAllister

The duties of the division of specifications are to promote

and facilitate the use and unification of specifications. In doing so it carries on adtivities involving cooperation with

technical societies; trade associations; Federal, State, and

municipal Government specifications making and using

agencies; producers, distributors, and consumers; and teSting

and research laboratories. It ascertains the standardization

and specifications promoting adtivities of the associations and societies, and brings to their attention the work being

done by the commercial Standardization group. It brings the

Federal specifications and commercial Standards to the atten- tion of the maximum number of producers and users of commodities complying with these Standards and specifications.

It compiles and distributes liSts of sources of supply of materials guaranteed to comply with the Standards and specifi- cations. It shows both buyers and sellers the benefits from

handling nationally specified, certified, and labeled commodities. The division prepares direcTtories of governmental and

nongovernmental teSting laboratories and the Diredtory of

Specifications, and is working on an encyclopedia of specifications, the firSt two volumes of which

have been issued, namely, “Standards and

Specifications in the Wood-Using Industries”

and “Standards and Specifications for Nonmetallic Minerals and their Produdts.” It also aids in preparing the Standards Yearbook.

The division of building and housing,

formed in 1921, cooperates with business,

technical, and professional groups in furthering conStrudtion adtivities. It works to modernize building codes and to encourage improved Standards for the quality of building conStrudtion, and the practical application of the lateSt development in design and use of building materials.

It encourages home ownership through the development

of an enlarged. Steadier, more intelligent, and more discriminating demand for dwellings—the largeSt single class of

buildings which the construction industries provide.

The division also cooperates with other governmental

agencies and with many private business and professional

groups in efforts to distribute building activity more evenly

throughout the year and to secure less fludtuation from

year to year. The work on city planning and zoning has the broad

objetftive of making buildings more useful through proper

location with respeSt to other Structures, Stabilizing of land

values and property uses, well coordinated thoroughfare

systems, and well laid out public works.

(T+O ITS AIM IS NOT FIXITY OR STAGNATION

..BUT.. TO ADD SERVICEABILITY

AS OFTEN ,45 THE

POTENTIAL GAIN

MAKES IT WORTH WHILE

DIVISION OF TRADE STANDARDS

I. J. Fairchild

The division of trade Standards, on requeSt,

assists industrial and commercial groups in

the voluntary establishment of Standards

covering grades, quality, dimensional interchangeability, or other acceptance criteria as a national

basis for marketing manufactured commodities.

The detail criteria are selected or determined voluntarily

by interested buyers or sellers, without any Government

dictation or domination, and adjuSted at a general confer- ence of producers, distributors, and users so as to represent

the composite views of all branches. The division functions

chiefly as a neutral agency to see that all interested elements

are given full opportunity to be heard and satisfied; to

solicit and record acceptances; and to publish and promulgate

the Standard when a satisfactory majority of acceptances is obtained and provided there is no aCtive opposition.

Industries are encouraged to apply self-certifying labels to products meeting the commercial Standard requirements, as a means of protecting the consumer and the scrupulous seller from misrepresentation or unfair methods of marketing.

Provision is made for regular revision of the Standard

through the appointment of a Standing committee to consider periodically any necessity for revision of the Standard,

in order that it may be kept constantly compatible with

progress in the induStry.

Address BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Washington, D. C., for further information
COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY

A Review of Progress in

Commercial Standarization and Simplification

Volume 9 WASHINGTON, D. C., AUGUST, 1932 Number 2

SUBJECT ANALYSIS

BUILDING AND HOUSING

Page

Blackboard slate 52

Builders’ hardware (nontemplate) 42 Cast stone 46

Elimination of waste in iron and steel 37

Fiber insulating board 46

Fire resistance research by Bureau of Standards 35 Measuring sound absorption 42

National hydraulic laboratory building completed 30

Oil-storage tanks 51 Publications of interest to the construction industry 50

Structural steel in building x 52 GROUP ACTIVITIES Advantages and disadvantages of standardization 43 American forest products industries 48 American Standards Association 33

A. S. T. M. conference approves 40 new standards and

75 revisions of old standards 45

A. S. T. M. specifications for gray iron castings revised. 44

Federal specifications 45 Gas group adopts trade practice rules 52 Revised S. A. E. procedure 40

S. A. E. assisting Army with motor transport problems. 50 INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

A. S. T. M. specifications for gray-iron castings revised. 44

Elimination of waste in iron and steel 37

Fire resistance research by Bureau of Standards 35

Industrial research as fostered by trade associations 41 Measuring sound absorption 42 Research aids company in drafting standards 36

METALS

A. S. T. M. specifications for gray iron castings revised. _ 44

Builders’ hardware (nontemplate) 42

Elimination of waste in iron and steel 37

Gaging machinery parts for interchangeability 32

Oil-storage tanks 51 Revised S. A. E. procedure 40

Standard for black bolts and nuts 49

Standardization of blades for truck road scrapers 39

Structural steel in buildings 52

INTERNATIONAL AND FOREIGN

Page

British standard voltages 49

International carbon-carburant congress 50 Railway signaling apparatus 52 Standard for black bolts and nuts 49

Structural steel in buildings 52 PAPER AND WOOD

American forest products industries L 48

Binders’ board simplified schedule reaffirmed 46

Factory-filled ice-cream packages 34

Fiber insulating board 46

Manual on purchase and use of lumber discussed by

lumbermen 47 Paper cones and tubes for textile winding 47

Simplifying wrapping procedure in stores 51 Waxed tissue paper 51 PUBLICATIONS

Manual on purchase and use of lumber discussed by

lumbermen 47

Polished cotton twine 48

Publications of interest to the construction industry 50

Safety for the household 49

Simplifying wrapping procedure in stores 51 Tide tables 49 QUALITY MARKS AND LABELS

Gas group adopts trade practice rules 52

Identification of simplified lines in trade literature 50

Protection through quality identification 48

Roadside farm produce stands use label to identify

quality of products 44 Waxed tissue paper 51 TEXTILES

Boys’ blouses, button-on waists, shirts, and junior shirts. 34

General conference on sulphonated oils 51 Measuring sound absorption 42

Observations on the standardization of textiles 31 Paper cones and tubes for textile winding 47

Polished cotton twine 48

AN INVITATION TO VISIT THE BUREAU OF STANDARDS

A cordial invitation is extended to all interested in scientific progress to visit the laboratories of

the Bureau of Standards when in Washington. A personally conducted trip is organized at 2.15 p. in. daily except on holidays. Special trips for groups may be arranged at other times by writing to the

bureau in advance. The bureau’s illustrated Visitor’s Manual may be had for the asking. This lists the work in progTess and gives an airplane view of the ensemble and a brief statement of typical dis- coveries and inventions which have been notable, basic contributions to radio, aviation, and other

modern arts and industries.

133409—32 1 29
National Hydraulic Laboratory

Building Completed

T

he new hydraulic laboratory building of the Bureau of Standards, the erection of which was advanced to promote employment in the building trade, was turned

over to the Government by the contractor on March 12, 1932. Since that time the members of the laboratory ^aff have been occupied with the design and in^allation of the equipment which is necessary to the carrying out of experimental work.

Five centrifugal pumps having a total capacity of about 60,000 gallons per minute have been

purchased and in^alled. At the present time, work is progressing on the in^allation of the piping for these pumps, of con^ant level tanks, sluice gates, and a 5'ton hoi^. A considerable

amount of in^rumental equipment for operating the laboratory and for use in hydraulic

inve^igations is on order. . Economy in the use of water was made a feature of the design of this laboratory. In^ead

of drawing water from the city’s mains, passing it through the experimental equipment, and

then waging it, two large borage basins which will contain a total of about 1,250,000 gallons

of water have been provided as sources of supply for the experiments. The water will be

pumped from these borage basins to special supply tanks on the various floors, will then be

passed through the experimental equipment, and finally returned to the storage basins to be

used again. It is e^imated that the entire water supply will be circulated many hundreds

of times before it will be so contaminated that fresh water mu^t be supplied. (A detailed

article on “The National HydrauHc Laboratory,” by H. N. Eaton, of the Bureau of Standards

^aff, appeared in the June, 1930, issue of Commercial Standards Monthly.)

The fir^ scientific inve^igation to be condudted in the new laboratory relates to the friction

losses resulting from the flow of water around pipe bends. The Bureau of Reclamation of

the United States Department of the Interior has requeued that the Bureau of Standards

undertake an inve^igation of this subjedl, since these bend losses are of real economic importance in the design of large lines for carrying irrigation water. Members of the hydraulic

laboratory ^aff are already preparing plans for the experimental work, and it is anticipated that the fir^ acftual experiments can be commenced in September of this year.

30
AUGUST, 1932 COMMEECIAL STANDAEDS MONTHLY 31

OBSERVATIONS ON THE STANDARDIZATION OF TEXTILES

By L. R. Gilbert, Bureau of Standards

In view of the recent widespread interest in the

standardization of textiles and textile products, augmented by news and trade paper comment, it is believed that a brief outline of the present status of a few projects in this field may be of value.

Some of the standards of major importance are

those for Cotton Cloth for Rubber and Pyroxylin

Coating, the Regain of Mercerized Cotton Yarns,

Men’s Shirts (Exclusive of Work Shirts), Wool and

Part Wool Blankets, Cotton Fabric Tents, Tarpaulins

and Covers, and Hosiery Lengths. Only three of these

will be discussed.

Hosiery Lengths.—^IVithin two weeks after the general conference on hosiery lengths a sufficient number

of acceptances had been received to justify announcing

the indorsement of the industry, but criticisms of the

lengths of children’s hose were of sufficient importance

to justify placing the matter before the standing committee for revision. This work is now being done and

the committee’s recommendations are expected to be

circulated to the industry at an early date.

It is believed this standard will be of value to the

industry if it carries the information the trade wants

and, therefore, every possible effort is being made to have it embrace such data before it is established as a commercial standard.

Men’s shirts {exclusive of work shirts).—^Various

manufacturers of higher class shirts have for some

time used preshunk fabrics in the manufacture of

these garments, making it possible to produce a shirt

with a minimum amount of shrinkage. However,

until now we have had no national standard as a basis

for correct sizes and shrinkage and the user has

bought shirts half to a full size larger than that ac- tually needed to make sure that he can button the

collar band after the shirt has been laundered.

Most of us think that if a shirting fabric has been

preshrunk the shirt will retain its original size without

shrinking. Experience has disproved this notion, but

the misunderstanding is 5^et so prevalent that the National Association of Shirt Manufacturers thought it necessary to send the following statement to shirting

fabric converters. “ If a shirting fabric shrinks 2

per cent, a shirt made from this fabric may shrink more than 2 per cent. Thus in order to be sure that

the finished garment complies with the standard

worked out by this association, the shirt manufacturer using preshrunk goods must insist that the

shrinkage tolerance of the material shall be sufficiently

below the 2 per cent tolerance permitted in the garment measurements, to allow for thread and laundry

shrinkage, although proper laundering is specified.” It may be of interest to know that within the last three or four years, processes for accurately shrinking a fabric within known limits have been developed,

making shrunken cloth available for use in the manufacture of almost any grade of shirt. Wool and fart wool blankets.—For many years the

system of labeling part-wool blankets has been misleading; the consumer who bought a blanket marked

“ part wool ” had no idea how much or how little wool

he was getting. In fact, if he had been given authentic

information he would have been astounded that any

manufacturer had the audacit}’^ to mention the word

“ wool ” in connection with a blanket carrying so small

a proportion of wool. According to the National Retail Dry Goods Association more than 75 per cent of

the blankets labeled “ part wool ” contain less than

10 per cent of wool and a large percentage less than

1 per cent. There is a general consensus on the part of wool

manufacturers and retailers that wool content less than 26 per cent in a blanket adds very little to its value. In reality no one has yet determined just what

amount of wool is needed to make a better blanket or whether it is possible to make a blanket of cotton or some other fiber that throughout its life will be as warm as a wool or part-wool blanket.

There is, however, a demand for a low priced partwool blanket and the industry feels that while 5 per

cent wool adds very little to the value of a blanket, it will satisfactorily meet that demand and be a decicled

improvement over the present system of describing

blankets as “ part wool.” For that reason the following requirement was inserted in the recommended

commercial standard for wool and part-wool blankets

‘‘No finished blanket containing less than 5 per cent wool shall carry the word ‘ wool ’ in any form.”

Another part of this specification has been so generally misunderstood that it may be of interest to explain rather fully the item : “ Blankets labeled with

the word ‘ wool ’ in any form and containing : Between

5 and 25 per cent wool shall be labeled ‘ part wool ; not

less than 5 per cent wool ’.” There are those who think that blankets containing

10, 15, or 20 per cent wool will be marked “ 5 per

cent wool ” and deem it unfair to the purchaser as well as to the manufacturer to have to label a blanket

5 per cent wool ” when it carries a wool content of

10 per cent or even more. In this connection it is important to bear in mind

the following points. First, it is claimed that blankets

containing between 10 and 25 per cent wool are not

now being manufactured and that they have not been

manufactured for a number of years. Second, it is uot to be expected that a manufacturer would ]iut

appreciably more than 5 per cent wool in a blanket

which he marks “ part wool ; not less than 5 per cent wool.” In no instance is this likely to be done and

if a salesman should say that there is considerably more wool than the minimum indicated by the ticket or label, he will, in all probability, be misrepresenting

the facts. Third, the label Avhich the buyer sees on

the 5 per cent part avooI blanket will carry no other

figure than the 5 per cent, leaving no excuse whatever

for misunderstanding by the buyer.

The parts of the specification which state that

blankets labeled with the word “ wool ” in any form

and containing more than 25 per cent wool shall be

labeled with the guaranteed (minimum) wool content in percentage, and those carrying above 98 per

cent wool shall be labeled “ all wool,” are clear, understandable, and apparently satisfactory to the industry and need no further comment.
32 COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1932

Contacts. —This paper would be incomplete if it did

not mention the sponsors of our projects, who are emblematic of the high type of work being done.

The men and women who compose the conferences are usually representative of the best in the industry and

as a rule know the details of their business fully and

completely. They know what they want, they are

fairly certain what the industry needs and are not

to be sidetracked or deflected from writing a speciflcation that will best meet all the requirements of

the trade. To these men and women industry owes

a debt of gratitude for the work they have done and

are doing toward the establishment of commercial

standards.

GAGING MACHINERY PARTS FOR INTERCHANGEABILITY

Research and Tests by Bureau of Standards as Aid in Standardization of Tools Used in Manufacturing

By H. W. Beakce, Burem of Standards

The Bureau of Standards conducts gage work in connection with machine tools and cooperates in the

standardization and tests of gages, being made by

science and industry. It also undertakes research in connection with this work.

In the early days of machine tools little attention was given to interchangeability of parts, either of the

machines themselves or of the products of the machines. Each part of each machine and each part

produced by the machine was largely an individual

product. Usually when

such a part was required

to assemble and function

with one or more other

parts a certain amount of

hand fitting was expected

and required.

Under such a system

the initial assembly of

parts, and the replacement of broken or wornout parts were expensive

and time consuming.

Under our modern sys- tem of mass production

complete interchangeability of parts is the end

sought, and the vast majority of cases attained.

Under this system all parts that are intended to be alike are, in fact, so nearly alike in their important dimensions that any

part taken at random from a large number of similar

parts will assemble and function as intended, when

mated with other parts similarly taken at random

from a large number without hand-fitting or other

additional work.

That, in brief, is the basic principle of interchangeable manufacture. The successful application of this

principle requires the use of production and inspection

methods and equipment that are such as to insure that

the important dimensions of each part will be within

proper limits. The test of parts to determine whether or not they

are within specified dimensional limits is usually car- ried out by means of limit gages.

Limit gages are made in a wide variety of designs,

for an equally wide variety of purposes, but for the

insj)ection of plain cylindrical shafts and holes, and

for ordinary screw threads, such as are found on bolts,

nuts, and screws, the most commonly used gages may

be classified as “ go ” and “ not go ” plain and thread

plug, ring, and snap gages. The proper use of correct “ go ” gages insures assembly of accepted parts; that is, no entering members

that are too large, and no receiving members that are

too small, will be accepted by correct “ go ” gages.

“ Go ” gages have no control over the opposite aspect

of the fit of mating parts ; that is, they do not insure

that the mating parts will not be too loose. This

must be controlled by the use of “ not go ” gages.

“ Not go ” gages insure

that no entering members that are too small,

and no receiving members that are too large, are accepted.

The successful use of any

system of gaging requires,

of course, that the gages

themselves be kept within

the prescribed limits for

the parts. If the gages

are allowed to be outside

the prescribed limits,

either initially, or as the

result of wear, parts will

be accepted which are

outside the limits, and

the whole gaging system may fail of its purpose.

“ Go ” gages wear in the direction to produce inter- ference and nonassembly. Working “ go ” gages must,

therefore, be watched with extreme care and must be

constantly checked against other gages that are known

to be accurate, or must be measured at sufficiently fre- quent intervals to insure that they are maintained

within the prescribed limits. “Not go ” gages wear in the direction of the “ go

” gage limits, and in the direction of safety, since the

purpose of “ not go ” gages is to guard against excessive looseness. The effect of wear of “ not go ” gages

is, therefore, to reduce the amount of tolerance available to the manufacturer, and to reject parts that are not outside the prescribed limits, and that should not,

therefore, be rejected.

Int«rchangeable manufacture, and its control by

gaging, is a subject so broad and yet so exacting in detail that only a few of its many aspects can be

touched upon in a paper of this character.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES POSTPONED

The Twenty-fifth National Conference on Weights and Measures was to have been held in

Washington early in June. However, in the in- terest of conservation of public funds, it was deemed advisable to postpone the conference till next year, and a proposal to this effect by the offi- cers was approved by an almost unanimous vote

of the executive committee.

Consequently, there will be no conference during the calendar year 1932.
AUGUST, 1932 COMMEECIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY

AMERICAN STANDARDS ASSOCIATION

Association Presents Review of Its Work for the Month of July

The followino; current information concernino: developments in standardization projects under the auspices

and procedures of the American Standards Association has been furnished by that association

Mechanical refrigeration.-—-The American Society of

Refrigeratinof Engineers has submitted a revision of

the safety code for mechanical refrigeration. The re- vision was made in order to bring within the code two new refrigerants which have come into use since the

original code was approved. These refrigerants are methyl formate and dichlorodifluoromethane.

Lighting of school huildings.—The Illuminating

Engineering Society and the American Institute of

Architects as sponsors for the code on lighting of

school buildings, have submitted a revised draft of this

code for approval as American standard. The code,

which was unanimousl}^ approved by the technical

committee after about 18 months’ work, has been re- ferred to the safety code correlating committee for

approval.

Sanitation code.—Copies of the tentative draft of

the industrial sanitation code noiv being considered

by the sectional committee are available for criticism

and comment. The code, which is being developed

under the sponsorship of the United States Public

Health Service, includes rules for industrial establishments, mines, and labor camps, on water suppty, ventilation, housekeeping, waste disposal, inspection, toilet and washing facilities, retiring and dressing rooms,

lunch rooms, etc. Copies of the draft code may be

obtained from the A. S. A., 29 West Thirt3^-ninth

Street, New York, N. Y.

Nonshatterahle glass.—The initiation of a i^roject

by the A. S. A. on methods of test and performance

requirements of nonshatterable glass has been requested

by the National Bureau of Casualty and Surety

Underwriters. Many State motor vehicle commissions and highway departments are requiring the in- stallation of nonshatterable glass in various classes of motor vehicles and the State of Massachusetts has

developed a group of tests which nonshatterable glass

used in cars registered in that State must be subjected

to. The request has been referred to the safeU code

correlating committee for recommendation to standards council.

Emergency lighting.—The National Electrical Manufacturers Association has requested the A. S. A.

to initiate a project on emergencj- lighting. The

N. E. M. A. points out that many State and municipal

regulator}^ bodies have developed regulations requiring

the installation of emergency lighting systems principally in places of public assembly and that the many

conflicting requirements appearing in these regulations

makes it exceedingly difficult for manufacturers to develop a product which is acceptable to the various

regulatory groups. The request has been referred to the safety code con-elating committee and the electri- cal standards committee for joint recommendation to .standards council.

Punch and die sets.—A proposed American tentative .standard on punch and die sets has been published

for general criticism and comment. The draft gives

I the most important dimensions of five types of punch

j and die sets, as follows : Regular series ; reverse series

1 long series; round, back-post series; and round, diag-

' onal-post series. It also gives dimensions of guide

posts, guide post bushings, steel punch shanks, bolts,

clamps, and washers for the several sets, and specifies

the material of which the different component parts

should be made.

Screen testing of ores.—Methods for screen testing

of ores (hand method) has been approved by A. S. A.

as American recommended practice with the designation of Mo—1932. In appi’oving this standard, at- tention is called to the work of the sectional committee on sieves, which may ultimately affect some of the

provisions of the new standard, and aj)proval does

not prejudice an}- future recommendations from the

sectional committee on sieves. The new standard

has been developed by the milling committee of the

A. I. M. E. For some years investigations of crushing phenomena emphasized the necessity for standard methods of gaging particle size and led to the

preparation of this method of laboratory practice,

which has particular application to technical studies

where close control is essential. In draft form the

standard has had wide circulation in the mining in- dustry since 1930.

Drawings and drafting room practice.—A proposed

American recommended practice for graphical symbols to be used on drawings has been published for

criticism and comment. It covers 44 symbols for

plumbing fixtures, 17 symbols for conventional rivet

layouts, 21 symbols for heat-power apparatus, 32

symbols for electric power apparatus, 27 symbols for

pipe and pipe fittings, and 23 symbols for heating

and ventilating layouts. The symbols for plumbing

fixtures were originally proposed by the National Association of Master Plumbers of the United States,

and have been reviewed by the structural-service committee of the American Institute of Architects. The

symbols for conventional rivet layouts were developed

by the subcommittee on line work. Symbols on heatpower apparatus were taken over from the advisory

committee on steam turbines of the International Electro-Technical Commission, and are indorsed by the

A. S. M. E. committee on power test codes. The symbols for electric power apparatus form part of the

recommendations formulated by sectional committee on scientific and engineering symbols and abbreviations. The symbols for pipe and pipe fittings, and

for heating and ventilating layouts were taken over from the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers, and partly from the German national

standards in this field. Clean coal.—Although all organizations that had

been invited to appoint representatives had not made

definite designations, the organization meeting of the

recently approv-ed sectional committee to develop

specifications for clean bituminous coal was held in Pittsburgh at the headquarters of the Engineers

Society of Western Pennsylvania on June 29. At this

meeting, attended by 17 representatives of IG organizations, sev-eral of whom wore also acting as observ-ei-s
34 COMMERCIAL, STAUrDAEDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1932

for other groups, the project before the committee was

discussed at length. After careful consideration of

the scope of the jiroject, the committee voted to limit

its work for the present to bituminous coal 2 inches

(circular) and over in size, in accordance with the

following scope:

Specifications outlining allowable limits of inacceptable

material in prepared bituminous coal, whether mechanically

cleaned or not, in sizes 2 inches and above; the purpose being

to define clean coal and not to standardize screen sizes. However, the possibility of an extension of the scope

to sizes smaller than 2 inches was considered and it was decided that the executive committee should study

the difficulties that might be encountered and the advantages that might accrue from such an extension.

Discussion of the determination of inacceptable for- eign material in bituminous coal brought out the fact

that there are no standard methods available. Differences in technique of the float-and-sink test (the

test that is most widely used) are not serious, but do

require harmonizing. It was decided to ajipoint a subcommittee on methods of sampling and testing.

The cooperation of the American Society for Testing

Materials and the United States Bureau of Mines is to be enlisted to bring about unification of these

methods into accepted national standards.

FACTORY-FILLED ICE CREAM PACKAGES

Industry Has Adopted Simplified Schedule of Sizes for Capacities and Shapes of Cups, Which Is Expected to Improve Marketing of Ice Cream

The economical and sanitary distribution of ice cream has in recent years attracted the attention of

the ice cream manufacturers, and to-day. according

to the opinion of leaders in the industry, the next important step forward will be the increased use of

factory-filled packages in which the ice cream will

have approximately the same consistency, flavor, and

taste as the bulk products retailed in the store-packed

container. It is said that the increased use of factorvfilled packages will help to solve the shrinkage problem and }field the retailer a more certain profit.

Moreover, the use of factory-filled packages is in line

with the trend of modern merchandising methods

and the preference of the buying public. A properly

made factory-filled package provides a uniform quantity in a convenient, sanitary, and economical form.

In line with the trend toward factory-filled packages and in view of the successful work done in standardizing ice cream cans, molds, and cartons the simplified practice committee of the International Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers some time ago

considered that the next logical step in their simplification program was to take up the study of ice creaiii cups. Upon investigation, it was discovered that there were numerous capacities and shapes of cups being

used in the industry. The committee concluded that some of the shapes and capacities could be eliminated

Avith economy and profit to the trade.

Several meetings were held by the committee which

Avere attended by representatives of the cup manufacturers. The final report of the committee was

presented at the conA^ention of the International Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers in Cleveland,

October 25, 1930, and was unanimously approved.

Following the approval of its report, the committee

subrnitted a tentative recommendation to the division

of simplified practice of the Bureau of Standards

with the request that arrangements be made for a general conference of all interests to formulate a definite simplified practice recommendation. Such a conference was held on December 10, 1930, and in

accordance with action taken, five sizes of cups were recommended for adoption as standard stock items on

the basis of capacity. These sizes are % pint,

pint, % pint, 1 pint, and 1 quart. Standard cap di- ameters were also recommended for all except the

)4-pint cup, and certain shapes were designated for

the standard cups. The action of the conference resulted in a reduction

from 4 capacities of the so-called 5-cent cup to 1 capacity, viz, the % pint, or 48 cups to the gallon.

The capacities of the so-called 10-cent size are reduced

from 5 to 1, viz, the %-pint size, and the caps for this

size cup are reduced from 3 diameters to 1. The

shapes of the half-pint cup are reduced from 3 to 1, and the cap diameters are reduced from 5 to 2. For

the 1-pint cup, the shapes are reduced from 2 to 1 and the cap diameters are reduced from 5 to 2. The

diameters of caps for the quart cup are reduced from

2 to 1. This simplification program, which has been ac- cepted by the industry, became effective January 1, 1932, for new production. A further period of eight

months from that date, which will be September 1, 1932, is provided for the disposal of existing stocks

of eliminated varieties in shapes and sizes of cups

and caps. The recommendation is subject to annual

revision by a standing committee which has been or- ganized to represent the ice-cream producers, the cup

makers, and the builders of cup-filling and capping

machines.

It is confidently expected by leaders in the industry

that the general adoption of this program will clear

the way to the development of universal or standard

cup-filling and capping machines with a consequent

reduction of investment in these machines. Further

economies as a result of higher speed and more ac- curate filling of cups are anticipated with improvement in the texture of ice cream, due to quick handling

from freezer to hardening room.

BOYS’ BLOUSES, BUTTON-ON WAISTS, SHIRTS,

AND JUNIOR SHIRTS

Upon consideration of the adherence report on the

commercial standard for boys’ blouses, button-on

waists, shirts, and junior shirts, the standing committee has recommended the reaffirmation of the standard

without change for another year or until authorized

revision is duly indorsed by the industry and an- nouncement has been issued to this effect. Manufacture of boys’ blouses, button-on waists,

shirts, and junior shirts conforming to the requirements of the Commercial Standard CS14-31 was shown to be 70 per cent of the production of those

reporting.
AUGUST, 1932 COMMERCIAL, STANDARDS MONTHLY 35

FIRE-RESISTANCE RESEARCH BY BUREAU OF STANDARDS

Recent Tests of Materials by Bureau of Standards of Interest to the Building Official

By S. H. INGBEKG, Bureau of Standards

The actuating condition that prompts research

along fire resistance lines is a high fire loss that for

the United States has approximated $500,000,000 per

year in property alone. To this must be added the

cost of insurance exclusive of the losses paid, the cost of fire protection and loss in protection and employment due to fire, which items taken together with the

property loss give a total economic loss in excess of

$1,000,000,000 per year. Our per capita loss is high

as compared to the European loss, even after allow- ance has been made for the difference in wealth per

capita. In life loss from fire the Census Bureau statistics give a loss of between 6,000 and 8,000 lives annually, exclusive of those from industrial burns and

scalds. Fire-severity tests comprise a study of the fire itself in point of the severity in temperature and duration

that can obtain with given amounts and character of

combustible building contents. Wliile the severity of

a fire condition would appear, at first sight, to be too

indefinite for quantitative evaluation, the problem can

be simplified considerably by assuming only the conditions that produce the higher range of severity. On

this basis, we have obtained values in terms of periods

of exposure to the standard furnace test, for occu- pancies comprising ordinary combustible materials

ranging in weight from light office or residential occu- pancies at 10 pounds per square foot of floor area, to the heavier record storage occupancies with more than

50 pounds per square foot of floor area. Tests to determine the hazard of a building to its surroundings are difficult to arrange so that the re- sults may have quantitative value. In some tests with

sheet metal steel-framed garages we were able to determine with a fair degree of certainty the hazard to frame walls spaced at different distances from the

garage which was burned out with contents of automobiles and other materials that might be present in such

buildings. Some infoimiation on the hazard to the

surroundings from brick-walled joisted buildings was

obtained in a test with a 2-story and 5-story adjacent

hnildings of the warehouse type that Avere burned out

Avith combustible contents in the different portions

ranging from 71/2 to 30 pounds per square foot of

floor area. This test also gave pertinent information on the exposure conditions in such buildings particularly as concerns the severity of fire and impact to record containers, such as insulated safes. Some of our first work along the line of fire tests of materials and construction Avas concerned with the

standardization of the fire testing procedure from

the standpoint of furnace severity, method of measuring furnace temperature and the criteria of failure of

the construction being tested. Our list of publications contains references to tests completed and published on structural steel, cast iron,

reinforced concrete, and timber columns, tested unprotected and protected with materials in several thicknesses. We have also conducted recently ' tests of

columns protected by poured gypsum and precast

gypsum block. Tests have further been completed of

load-bearing hollow tile walls, solid and hollow brick

Avails, and of proscenium curtains.

A series of fire tests of interior wood and metal

stud jiartitions is noAV in progress. Fire tests of a new type of welded steel floor construction are being

conducted in cooperation with the American Institute

of Steel Construction.

The methods of conducting fire tests of materials as distinguished from tests of the construction into which

they enter are not well standardized and possibly the

need for uniform procedure is not as urgent as for

the tests of assemblies.

A considerable portion of the work with materials

consists in determining their properties as affected

by the temperatures and conditions to which they may

be exposed in building fires. Tests to determine the

compressive strength and elastic properties of struc- tural steel and cast iron at temperatures up to 1,000° C. have been completed, and the results in part published.

Fire endurance and fire and impact tests of insulated safes have been conducted to determine con- formity with Federal specifications, and a number of

tests have been conducted to develop performance

bases for inclusion in specification requirements. Tests have also been made of fire extinguishers, fire hose,

automatic fire detecting equipment and automatic

sprinklers. It has been found generally that performance requirements in specifications are more satisfactory to both purchaser and manufacturer than detail

design requirements, as this Avidens the field of purchase and leaves the designer more freedom in the

choice of materials and details. The formulation of

effective requirements demands a close study of the

particular conditions to which the equipment is subjected, supplemented by adequate tests to determine

performance under such conditions.

Some Avork has been done on the classification of the

fire loss by causes, seasons, and occupancy. Experimental studies have been made of the conditions under

Avhich fires are caused by such agents as discarded

cigarettes, cigars, and matches, and some improvements in their make-up suggested that would decrease

the hazard. Tests to determine the susceptibility of

fibrous materials to spontaneous heating have been

recently completed, the work having been done in part

in cooperation with a group, of the marine underwriters.

The hazard of photographic. X-ray, and motionpicture film has been given consideration, and suggested safety requirements formulated. A series of

tests has been completed on the protections required

for household heating and cooking appliances to preA^ent ignition of adjacent combustible Avails, ceilings.,

and floors. The units in the Government service that are con- cerned Avith fire resistance research and fire preA^ention

have, during the past year, assisted in the organization

Avork of the Fedei'al Fire Council. This consists of

representatives from Government departments and
36 COMMERCIAL, STANDARDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1932

establishments, and functions in advisory and informative capacity on matters relating to fire prevention and

protection arising in connection with Government

activities. Included in its scope are the formulation

of recommended standards or policies relating to such

items as exit requirements for buildings, protection of

records, elimination of fire hazards, fire protection

equipment, and fire alarm and patrol service, unless

already covered by interdepartmental agencies. Inspections have been made and reports rendered on

a number of institutions and Government buildings

in the District of Columbia and arrangements made

for inspections of institutions elsewhere by other

agencies.

RESEARCH AIDS COMPANY IN DRAFTING STANDARDS

International Silver Co. Maintains Laboratories for Testing Materials

By M. R. Sternberg, International Silver Go.

The International Silver Co. has saved considerable

money in making use of the research facilities of its Factory X, or scientific research laboratory located in

Meriden, Conn., where metallurgical, chemical, and

physical investigations are carried on. One of the

most important aspects of these activities is the assist- ance rendered in developing standard specifications

used in the manufacture of our products. Approved

lists of suppliers of all standard materials are made

up on the basis of tests by the research department,

and it is from these lists that inquiries are made.

Whenever a new supplier comes into a field or when

an old one makes improvements, the materials are

tested by the laboratory and, if satisfactory, the names

of such concerns are added to the list. This, naturally,

prevents favoritism, places the making of purchases on a projier basis, and insures a progressive and liberal

attitude toward all those who may furnish the various

materials needed. It encourages them to undertake

develo2iments by which this company may profit in

order that they, in turn, may profit b}^ securing its business.

Our suppliers know that if they have anything new

which we can use to advantage, it will be thoroughly

tested and tried out by the laboratory staff. The suppliers’ technical men are given every opportunity to

set forth and develop their ideas in cooperation with

our laboratory so that there can be no possibility of

their feeling that they are not given the most serious

consideration.

An aspect of backing up purchases by researcli which has proved to be a great benefit has' been with

respect to materials entering into the manufacture of

silver tissues, wrapping papers, paper boxes, display

chests, glues, and lining materials which are first tested by the laboratory for our various suppliers, to

see tliat all materials pass our sulphide tests before

they are accepted. For instance, in one of our cutlery

plants complaint was made by the factory that the

steel developed a rough surface which was first thought

to be the fault of the steel. The matter was investigated by the laboratory and supplier jointly and it Avas found that the trouble was due to improper fuel

combustion during the forging operation.

In the instance under consideration the purchasing

department was exonerated from providing improper

material ; something had gone amiss in the production

processes. Furthermore, the supplier was also exonerated. The best of relations are maintained with our

suppliers. They know that they will not be unjustly

accused, and if a complaint does come through to

them there is a good reason for it. Knowing this in

advance, they take the greatest care that nothing but

materials strictly up to the specifications are shipped

to us. Naturally this saves a great deal of money

to all concerned.

It is good management to develop and make use

of standards of all kinds based on research. Some

of them are set by the manufacturers, others can only

be determined by the laboratory because they involve

chemical or physical research, or both.

Another very intimate relation between the purchasing department and research laboratory is in con- nection Avith the purchase of die steels for making

dies. As may be realized, the making of silverware

involves the stamping or ornamentation of base metal

in a series of operations in Avhich steel dies are used.

The use of the proper steel and its correct heat treat- ment is of the greatest importance for Avhile the cost of steel itself does not amount to so much, the cost of highly skilled labor expended on it in making the

dies is high. Consequently every reasonable precaution must be taken to produce dies Avith the best possible lasting qualities. These qualities depend mainly

on the character of the steel and its heat treatment. For this reason all purchases of die steels are carried

in the laboratory Avarehouse Avhere every piece is tested to make sure that it is right before any work

is done on it. In other Avords, the laboratory has absolute and immediate control of the acceptance of all this class of

steel. Further, the laboratory also does the heating

of the finished dies. As a result of all this, a great

deal of money has been saved.

All neAv products are referred to the laboratory for

approval when of a metallurgical or chemical nature. Anything pertaining to mechanical or electrical production improvements and plant maintenance is sent

to the engineering department for investigation.

NeAv ideas often originate with the purchasing department because we are continually being approached

by salesmen, and any matters which seem worthwhile

to investigate are referred to the laboratory for in- vestigation.

Research, it Avill be seen, is made use of by us for

setting standards, preparing standard specifications

and determining what suppliers are worthy of being

placed on the approved list, and for the testing of raw materials used in the various processes to make

sure that they come up to specification requirements

before they are accepted.
AUGUST, 1932 COMMEKCIAL STANDAEDS MONTHLY 37

ELIMINATION OF WASTE IN IRON AND STEEL

Bureau of Standards Has Aided Industry in Research, Simplified Practice, and Standardization

The research, standardizing, and other committees

of the various national technical societies form very

convenient and direct means for the Bureau of Standards to cooperate with the technical and operating

aspects of the industry. By such means research projects far too extensive for any one organization to handle can be undertaken. Through its representatives on eight of the committees of the American Society for Testing Materials dealing with ferrous materials, the bureau is cooperating on a number of . widely variant subjects representing different aspects

of the iron and steel industry. A representative ex- ample is the extensive series of exposure tests in various parts of the country to determine the relative behavior of various compositions of sheet steels and

zinc-coated steel products—sheet, wire, and hard- ware—when exposed to the weather.

Through several of the research committees of the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers such subjects as the cutting of metals, the welding of pressure

vessels, and mechanical springs have been studied.

Help has been given to the cast-iron and steel foundry

industry through the American Foundrymen’s Association in a number of ways. In particular, methods

have been developed for the testing of foundry sands,

thereby putting the specification and purchase of these

materials on a rational basis. The old rule-of-thumb

foundry methods for the routine “ control ” of sands

in the foundry are being replaced by an accurate and

reproducible method of sand control based largely

upon the tests developed. Through a special joint

committee representing different national technical

organizations and interested Government de^^artments,

under the chairmanship of the Director of the Bureau

of Standards, the general subject of the permissible

limits of phosphorus and sulphur in steel is being

studied on a large scale. These two elements are the

ones which are most widely contested in specifications

relating to the composition of steels. A joint research committee sponsored by the American Society for Testing Materials and the American

Society of Mechanical Engineers for the study of the

properties of materials intended for services involving

high temperatures, such as oil-cracking stills, steam

superheaters and the like, constitutes an excellent means for cooperating with the interested parties in

this recently developed field of steel metallurgy.

Other typical examples of cooperative work of this

kind in progress are the study of quenching media

for hardening steel with the American Society for

Steel Treating, the zinc coating of iron and steel car- ried out through a sectional committee organized by

the American Standards Association, and the cutting or machining of steels in cooperation with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

By a plan inaug-urated a few years ago technical

and trade organizations are permitted to place a re- search worker at the bureau and to utilize its facilities in the investigation of problems of mutual interest to the industry represented and to the bureau. In

this way problems of immediate interest to the indus133409—32 2

try receive consideration without any great delay.

Recent studies made this way, on which reports are now; available, relate to difficulties encountered in the

steel-casting industry. Likewise, in cooperation with

:he American Foundrymen’s Association, the shrinkage of cast iron in the molds has been investigated.

Another line of investigation just completed has a bearing on stabilization of austenitic steels now

widely used industrially for high-temperature service.

An extensive investigation of the serviceability

when subjected to weather of sheet metal protected

in a variety of ways by electroplated coatings is in

progTess in cooperation with the American Electroplaters Society and the American Society for Testing

Materials. More than 7,000 sheet-metal specimens are being plated in different ways and are being exposed

to the weather in a number of locations representative of widely, different atmospheric conditions, such

as an industrial atmosphere, a marine atmosphere,

and others. Another problem relating to the causes

of soil corrosion is being investigated for the Cast

Iron Research Association under the research-associate plan.

Through the Federal Specifications Board, of which

the Director of the Bureau of Standards is ex-ofl&cio chairman, the bureau cooperates actively in the preparation of specifications for use in Government purchases. These specifications, whenever possible, are adjusted to meet current industrial practices.

Twenty-five such specifications covering ferrous metals have been promulgated, together with two-thirds

as many more on metal products, such as wire rope, fencing, chain, etc., and pipe, pipe fittings, and related

products. Several others are on the Avay.

In compliance with the recommendations of an advisory board organized as the result of a conference

of representati\^es of State governors called by the

Secretary of Commerce in 1923, there has been prepared by the division of specifications of the Bureau

of Standards, a directory of all known nationally

recognized commodity specifications, in which iron

and steel occupies a prominent place. To supplement

the directory an encyclopedia of specifications is being

prepared. The third volume now nearing completion, deals with “ Standards and Specifications for

Metals and Metal Products.” Iron and steel nat- urally constitute a large part of this. As a result of consultation with all organized

American producers, distributors, and consumers the

certification plan has been applied by the diAUsion

of specifications to certain Federal specifications.

Steel and iron products covered include builders’

hardware, padlocks, pipe and pipe fittings, wire pipe,

burglar-resisting safes, metal laths, railroad track

scales, weighing scales, and metallic tubing. In this

application of the certification plan to Federal iron

and steel siAecifications, eff’ectiA'e assistance has been

received from various trade associations. A typical

example is that of the Associated IMetal Lath Manufacturers. Officers of that association recommended to

its members that the certification plan be applied to
38 COMMEECIAL STANDAEDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1932

Federal specification No. 553 for metal lath. On

I\Iarch 17, 1931, the association imted in favor of this. The significance of this action will be appreciated

when it is known that this association and others had

shown some hesitancy in this standardization work

because of the supposed possibility of opposition by

the Federal Tracle Commission. Recent statements

from this commission, however, have completely clarified the situation.

The certification plan has also been applied to sev- eral commercial standards for certain iron and steel products, namelj^, steel pipe nipples, wrought-iron

pipe nipples, standard-weight malleable iron or steel screwed unions, plain and thread ping and ring gage

blanks, builders’ template hardware, diamond core

drill fittings, and bnilclers’ nontemplate hardware.

On request from industry, the Bureau of Standards

assists industrial and commercial groups in the establishment of simplified-practice recommendations and

commercial standards. The division of simplified

practice of the bureau cooperates with such groups to reduce waste, usually through eliminating unnecessary variet}^ of product, method, or practice. Its function is to bring together all parties interested in a project of this character, and to coordinate their

work in developing a simplified-practice recom- mendation.

The iron and steel industry Avas one of the first to

aA’ail itself of the facilities offered by the diAusion of

simplified practice. Metal lath was the first product

of this industry to be considered, and it was followed

in rapid succession by a large number of projects

coA^ering products which represented all phases of the

iron, steel, and harclAvare trade. To-day almost half

of the recommendations which have been passed

through tlie procedure of the diAusion cover items produced by tliis industry. The effects and benefits of

simplification have been felt by the hardAvare and construction industries to a greater extent than the other

branches in the field of iron and steel. In the construction industry alone simplified practice recom- mendations liaA^e been promulgated covering the

following

:

Metal lath, range boilers and expansion tanks,

builders’ hardware, hot-Avater storage tanks, steel reinforcing bars, sheet steel, eaves trough and conductor

pipe, roofing ternes, cut tacks and small cut nails, steel reinforcing spirals, Avrought-iron and wrought-steel

pij^e, turnbnckles, solid section steel windoAvs, iron

and steel roofing, hollow metal doors, kalamein doors,

forms for concrete ribbed floor construction, open-Aveb

steel joints, metal partitions for toilets and showers,

and Avheelbarrows.

For the hardware and mill supply trade simplified

practice recommendations haA^e been promulgated cov- ering files and rasps, woven-wire fencing, forged tools,

steel barrels and drums, plow bolts, milling cutters,

shoA^els, spades, and scoops, packaging of carriage,

machine and lag bolts, metallic cartridges, flashlight

cases, hack-saw blades, bell-bottom screw jacks, pocket

knives, and Avelded chain.

Projects covering the folloAving commodities have

also been completed : Steel lockers, tiuAvare, galvanized

and japanned ware, classification of iron and steel scrap, roller bearings, hospital plumbing fixtures

(enameled iron), and dental hypodermic needles.

In addition to all of these completed projects Avhich

directly cover iron and steel products, numerous simplification programs, covering commodities Avhich are used in the production and physical distribution of

steel products, have been accepted and adopted by the

iron and steel industry. In other Avords, simplification projects haA’e been completed Avhich affect the

iron and steel industry as a representative consumer

of commodities. This is important for the reason

that all simplified practice recommedations are designed to benefit alike manufacturers, distributers, and

users of commodities. In this group of consumer

goods may be listed abrasiA='e materials, foundry re- fractory materials, invoice forms, to mention a few.

A complete list of actiA^e simplified practice recom- mendations is available, as are the individual printed

books. Also, there is available a complete description

of the method folloAved by industries in preparing

simplified practice recommendations.

Thus far only completed simplification programs

have been mentioned. Thei'e are other projects in this

field Avhich are still in the formatiA^e and development

stages. One of the most important of these—one

Avhich will affect not only the manufacturers of iron

and steel building materials, but also other elements

of the construction industry—is that concerning masonary opening sizes. This project, initiated by the

manufacturers of steel Avindows, has for its objective

the establishment of masonry opening sizes based

upon a constant variation in width and height of

opening. In this question consideration of all masonry materials is necessary, if proper coordination of

sizes and dimensions is to be achieved.

The division of trade standards of the Bureau of

Standards as.sists industry to proceed from consideration of sizes and A^arieties to the establishment of commercial standards covering grades, quality, and other

acceptable criteria to serve as a national basis for

marketing manufactured commodities. Several such

standards for iron and steel products have been

adopted by industry.

Manufacturers representing more than 90 per cent of production cooperated in the establishment of a commercial standard for builders’ hardware (nontemplate). It has been said that buildings are no

better than their hardware, Avhich in simple terms means that doors, Avindows, and transoms may not be

expected to operate satisfactorily for any length of

time unless the hinges, locks, sash pulleys, transom

lifters, and other items are selected of suitable size,

type, and construction to function properly. This

commercial standard includes more than 150 general

items of builders’ hardware. The major requirements

of design, construction, and finish are covered for

hardAvare made of such material as cast and Avrought

iron, steel and bronze in natural finish or plated Avith

nickel, silver, gold, or chromium. The standard be- came effectiA^e June 1, 1930. To assist building contractors and manufacturers of

hollow metal doors in obtaining earlier delivery of

builders’ template hardAvare, as Avell as complete interchangeability and ready replacement of these parts,

regardless of sources of manufacture, a commercial

standard for this commodity has been established.

A commercial standard of direct interest to the

foundry industry relates to foundry patterns of wood.
AUGUST. 1932 commercial standards monthly 39

Color markings have been used for man}^ years on j foundry patterns to clarif}^, for the molder, the exact i intention of the patternmaker Avith regard to the

various parts of the pattern and the core box. In 1926

a standard color code for marking of foundry patterns

Avas adopted by the American Foundrymen’s Association in cooperation Avith a number of other national

organizations. Later the cooperation of the Bureau of

Standards Avas requested in establishing the sj’stem of

color marking as a commercial standard. This commercial standard is noAV efl'ectiA’e. More than 450

firms and associations haA’e indicated, in A\-riting, that

the color system recommended will be made a part of

their regular practice.

STANDARDIZATION OF BLADES FOR TRUCK ROAD SCRAPERS

Joint Committee of Road Officials Working to Standardize Size and Thickness of Blades

By B. C. Tiney*

The truck scraper, a device to be attached underneath a motor truck and used in the scraping of gravel,

chert, and similar types of road surfaces, has been

developed during the past 10 years in the State of

Michigan, and its use has spread to adjoining States. The blade is applied to the road surface by hydraulic

or pneumatic pressure supplemented by springs.

This piece of equipment, being destined by its effi- ciency to a very Avide use, it Avas eAudent that considerable benefit Avould accrue to both users and manufacturers, by standardizing the size and thiclmess of

blades, the spacing of the holes for attaching the

blades, and by formulating a tentative standard specification for blade material. A joint committee of the

American Road Builders’ Association and American

Association of State HigliAvay Officials Avas accordingly formed in July, 1931, for this purpose.

Prior to 1931 it had been the practice of manufacturers of this equipment to attach the cutting blades

directly to the hanger arms of the scraper, Avithout

moldboards. The varying positions of these arms on

different scrapers and trucks rendered necessary the

use of a moldboard in order to standardize the punchings in the blades. The standardization as recom- mended by this joint committee has been based on

AA’ork done by the State HigliAvay Department of

Michigan, but subject to considerable reAusion and

extension.

The standard flat blade, as adopted, is three-eighths

inch thick and 10 inches Avide. For moldboards of 8

feet or less in length the blade is in a single section,

but for 10 and 12 foot moldboards the standard provides for tAvo half-length sections of blades to facili- tate shipment and handling. Tavo horizontal roA\^s of

holes are provided at spacings, from each end of the

blade, of 3 inches, and then in inteiwals of 1 foot

each. This corresponds to the horizontal spacing

previously adopted by the above organizations for

rigid-blade graders. The holes are punched oval

shaped to alloAv a slight tolerance in attaching the

blade to the moldboard, and also to aAmid the distortion of the metal, Avhich is liable to occur Avith square

punching.

The moldboard has a rectangular cross section of 8i/^ inches. It also has tAvo horizontal roAvs of holes A\diich

’ Miiintenance engineer, Alichigan State highway department, serving

as chairman, joint committee of American Road Builders’ Association and American Association of State Highway Officials on standardization

of blades for truck scrapers.

correspond in spacing to those in the blade. This

standard contemplates the A’^ertical shifting of the flat blade on the moldboard three times during the life of the blade. In the first position the bolts are placed

through the bottom roAV of holes in the blade and the

top roAY of holes in the moldboard. This Avill cause

the blade to project 3 inches beloAV the bottom of

the moldboard, and Avhen this portion is Avorn aAvay

the bolts are removed and placed through the top

roAv of holes in the blade and the top roAV of holes

in the moldboard, or through the bottom roAV of holes

in the blade and the bottom roAV of holes in the

moldboard. The third position Avill be AA’ith the bolts

through the top roAV of holes in the blade and the bottom roAv of holes in the moldboard. With this system

of blade mounting, about 75 per cent of the blade Avill be used before chscarding.

At four points in the moldboard a single slot opening is substituted for the vertical pair of holes. This

is for the purpose of facilitating shifting of the blade

to different positions on the moldboard, inasmuch as

all bolts, other than at the slotted holes, are entii-ely

removed, and the bolts in the slotted holes simply

loosened sufficiently to alloAv the blade to slide to the

next position.

While the flat blade is most universally used on this

type of scraper, there has been a more hmited use

of the curved type of blade Avhere it Avas desired to do

heavier cutting of the road surface than could be

accomplished Avith the flat blade. The committee has

therefore recommended in addition to the flat blades, a curved blade for occasional use, Avhich may be at- tached to the flat moldboard. The standard curved

blade has but one horizontal roAv of holes, and is not

intended to be shifted to different vertical positions on the moldboard.

A standard has also been provided Avith a 7-inch

height moldboard and a 9-inch blade, for use on

smaller trucks AAdiich might not have sufficient clear- ance for installations of the regular standard 8-inch

moldboard.

The committee has assembled information from

various highAvay organizations and blade manufacturers relatiA^e to the specifications for steel used in

grader blades. A study of this information is being

made, but no definite conclusions, Avhich might form

the basis of recommendations, haA’e been reached to- date. It is anticipated that further Avork Avill be done

on this phase of the im-estigation during 1932.
40 COMMERCIAL SEANDARES MOKTHLY AUGUST, 1932 REVISED S. A. E. PROCEDURE

Society of Automotive Engineers Approves 13 Reports and Changes Its Administrative Procedure

At the first meeting of the standards committee of

the Societ}^ of xiutomotive Engineers, held recently in

accordance with the new regulations governing the

committee, 13 of 16 reports submitted by 7 divisions

of the society were approved. The action taken was

as follows

;

The report of the aircraft division was a change

from recommended practice to S. A. E. standard of

aircraft instrument cases and mountings. No change was made in the substance of the specifications. The

ball* and roller bearings division submitted six reports, four

of which were approved. When the

S. A. E. standard for

ball bearings was last reviewed and generally revised, conversion t o millimeters

from inches was based on the factor 25.4

rather than the more

exact factor 25.40005.

World -wide agreement on 25.4 as the

factor for industrial

and commercial, but

not for scientific or

accurate, conversions

is in process of ac- complishment, and

this report was submitted as an indication of agreement by the automotive industry upon

this factor for ordinary use. It is understood that

virtually all countries, including Great Britain, are in

agreement, and concurrence of American national

practice is expected very soon, through the American

Standards Association, of which the S. A. E. is a member body. For convenience, the factor 0.03937 for similar conversions to inches from millimeters was also approved for ordinary work. The largest diameter

in the j)resent standard for ball bearings is 580 mm,

and this factor gives a difference of only 0.000045

inch, compared with the accurate factor of 0.039370079.

The reports on annular single-row bearings, separable or open-type bearings and the angular contact- type bearings were submitted for approval of these

bearings for American Standard under procedure of

the A. S. A. They have been S. A. E. standard for

several years. The reports on steering-knuckle thrust

bearings and ball-bearing lock-nut washers were re- ferred again to the ball and roller bearings division

for further consideration, because of objections and

differences of dimensions that were submitted just

prior to the meeting of the standards committee.

The gasoline-engine division submitted two reports,

the first on two sizes of gasoline-engine mounting pads

that are now in common use. An intermediate size

has been submitted since the division completed its original report and will be referred to the division

for inclusion later. The other report is a standard of

dimensions for piston rings and grooves for both cast- iron and aluminum pistons in diameters from 2 to 8

inches, inclusive.

The report of the lubricants division on a classifica- tion for free-wheeling lubricants is the culmination

of a year of earnest work by the automotive engineers

and oil companies. The classification was approved

for publication and

trial as general information for the re- mainder of this year, with the understanding that the division

will consider further

whether to continue it as recommended practice in its present or some revised form before it is republished

in the next issue of

the S. A. E. Handbook. The classifica- tion will be published

in an early issue of

the S. A. E. Journal.

All of the standards

for nonferrous metal

specificationsnow published in the S. A. E.

Handbook are being

reviewed by the nonferrous metals division for revisions and additions

and coordination with corresponding specifications of

the American Society for Testing Materials. The

report as approved includes five new specifications for

aluminum-base die-casting alloys, and two specifications for zinc-base die-casting alloys. General information notes on the zinc-base alloys are included, and

similar notes are being prepared for the aluminumbase alloys.

The parts and fittings division recommended revision of the present S. A. E. recommended practice for

ball studs to bring it up to date, and the cancellation

of the S. A. E. recommended practices for lubricator

cups and carburetor throttle levers, both of which

have become obsolete and for which the division feels no standard is needed in the S. A. E. Handbook.

The production division reported a specification for

rotating air cylinders and adapters, which is a part

of the tool-standardization program of the sectional

committee on standardization of small tools and machine-tool elements, for which the S. A. E. is co- sponsor with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the National Machine Tool Builders Association, under the procedure of the American Standards Association. The report was approved for

American standard but not for publication as an

S. A. E. standard.

The Society of Automotive Engineers has approved

the revised standards committee regulations. The

major change from the old procedure is elimination

of the general standards committee session at annual

and semiannual meetings, expediting decisions by

both divisions and the standards committee, and making it possible for the standards committee and council finally to approve the adoption of reports at any

time during the year. Only changes in the nature

of correction of errors or editorial modifications are permitted under the new regulations, thus requiring

that reports be either adopted as recommended by

the divisions or modified by the standards committee

with the approval of the divisions submitting the

reports. The reporting of standards to a general

business session of the S. A. E. has been discontinued,

as it had become merely a routine step in the procedure and had no value in the formulating and adopting of standards.
AUGUST, 1932 COMMEKCIALi STANDAEDS MONTHLY 41

INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AS FOSTERED BY TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

By William Spkaeagen '

Present-day competition is between different industries as distinguished from the old competition which was only among the several firms of the same industry.

In the old competition each individual company of

a given industry sought to maintain a portion or se- cure a greater percentage of that industry’s business.

Probably research, as much as anything else, has

made it possible for a totally different industry to compete successfully for part or even all of the busi- ness of some other industry.

When research is mentioned as a possible trade as- sociation activity one of the first questions asked is: Does not research properly belong to the province of

individual companies of an association rather than to the association itself? The answer is apparent.

Some types of problems should be conducted by the

individual companies and others by the association.

In general, those problems which are common to

a number of companies should be carried out by the

association. This eliminates unnecessary duplication,

reduces the. cost of the investigational work to any

one company, and moreover by combining the experi- ence and knowledge of a number tends to increase the

chances of a successful solution. There are also other

problems which, because of their fundamental nature,

are too expensive to be undertaken by any one company. These and others involving studies over a pe- riod of years, or dealing with matters of public rela- tions or welfare, should he conducted by the association. Others which relate to patentable discoveries,

special processes and items of a similar nature can be

best carried out by the individual companies.

Universities and governmental departments often

possess superior equipment and personnel. These in- stitutions are more favorably disposed toward co- operative research with an industry rather than with an individual company. An argument not usually

advanced for such cooperative research is the creation

of good fellowship among competing companies.

The selection of a research committee in an asso- ciation is an exceedingly important matter. The

committee itself must be composed, not only of technical men, but also of executives; moreover, it should

represent the interests of the small company as well

as the large, and also the “ user ” viewpoint. The

actual selection of the men should be based upon

their mental attitude toward research. In several in- vestigations with which the author is familiar considerable loss of funds, time, and effort has resulted

from the selection of a so-called “ practical” research

committee which insisted that the investigations be

carried out to stimulate service conditions which oftentimes involved a number of variables beyond the

control of the investigator. In research work involving public relations there is an advantage in cooperative research, since the trade association or technical

society usually can speak with authority for its in

dustry. This simplifies contact with the industry ir determining policies and reaching decisions.

’ Secretary division of engineering and industrial research, National Research Council.

The selection of any program for study should be

pursued with care. Some jiroblems will be found to be of such a nature that they will yield results in a reasonably short time and thus provide against the

possibility of condemnation by more impatient members of an association. The program should include,

if possible, problems of a fundamental as well as a

practical nature. Before a project is undertaken cer- tain yardsticks should be applied in the nature of the

following questions:

1. Is the project really important?

2. What are the prospects of success ? 3. Has it been done before ? 4. Are the resources of time, money, and personnel

available for successful completion?

It is desirable to lay out a suitable program of

research with proper recognition of the time element

involved for a probable solution of each problem.

Some problems require for their complete solution a period of years and, unless careful financial provisions

are made for completing the work undertaken, considerable sums of money may be wasted, since the

preparatory work can seldom be translated into profitable use. Some problems should be of such a nature that

usable results may be obtained after a period of one

year, others perhaps after a period of two years, and

still others after three or more years. In fliis way con- tinued confidence would result in the work of an

association and particularly on the part of some of

the more impatient members.

An association desiring to undertake research as part of its activities should make a thorough survey

of the most important chronic technical problems hindering the progress of the industry as evidenced by

the opinions of some of the key men of the industry

and these should be given due consideration from the

point of view of importance and of time element

involved in their solution.

One of the great difficulties in conducting a research

program, arises from the temptation of everyone,

with trouble of any kind, to bring it to the laboratory

for solution, thus turning the laboratory into a

“ trouble-shooting ” agency rather than a research

organization. Of course some of the problems undertaken by the research laboratory may properly arise as a result of troubles, but it is undesirable for the

entire program to be given over to manufacturing

problems rather than actual research work. Some

trade associations have two separate departments to take care of these two types of problems.

A number of associations, such as the baking in- dustry, the canning and the meat industry, maintain

their own research laboratories. This presupposes a large initial outlay. Others avail themselves of the

splendid facilities of Mellon Institute, Battelle ]\Iemorial Institute, and the many excellent commercial

consulting laboratories. Still othei’s maintain fellowships or make other suitable arrangements with col- leges or universities. A large number utilize the facili- ties of various governmental departments such as the
42 COMMERCIAL. STANDARDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1932

Bureau of Standards. The solution to be resorted to

in any given case depends upon the circumstances.

Highly complex scientific or technical problems re- quire trained scientists and often special laboratory

equipment and apparatus. Some mechanical process- ing problems, on the other hand, required facilities of shops and manufacturing plants under the guid- ance of trained observers.

There is need for patience in matters of research.

This is particularly true Avhere an industry or a com- pany seeks to establish a new research laboratory.

The gathering together of suitable personnel and apparatus, and the establishment of proper facilities and

contacts would occupy nearly the full time of the

director for a period of a year or more. Unfortunately, by that time some of the executives who are not familiar with research and its methods might have

decided that the laboratoiy was a failure. Caution

is necessary in the establishment of a new laboratory. In most instances it might be better to establish a fellowship or utilize the services of some exist- ing laboratory in the manner indicated above. This

reduces not only the cost of the initial outlay, but

also hastens the time of productiA’e results by taking advantage of existing facilities. Sometimes it may be found advisable to establish such arrangements in two different places on the same problem.

The work of the personnel that makes the best showing after a given time is then continued and ex- panded; the other is curtailed or abandoned. After

a time, as the research activities of a company or asso- ciation grow, it may be found advisable to transplant

these activities, including the trained personnel, under more direct control and in a private laboratory.

Bringing about the utilization of the results of re- search by the smaller companies is particularly difficult. Cooperative research conducted by a trade asso- ciation has certain advantages in the presentation of

the results of the researches before technical meetings,

in papers and reports of committees, thus bringing

about a greater recognition of their value.

The question most commonly asked by an organization proposing to initiate a research program is : How

much money should be spent and how should it be

raised? Obviously the amount necessary and the means for obtaining it vary widely with each industry

and even with different types of work in the same

industry. The full return from an investment is, however, not to be obtained unless a complete solution

is reached. Some organizations finance their research

program by specific contributions for individual projects, others by special assessment by member companies, and still others by setting aside a special

proportion of membership dues for this work. A few

are fortunate in having research endoAvments.

The amounts spent annually for research range from

a few hundred dollars to more than $100,000. Some of

the associations spending more than $100,000 are: The National Canners’ Association, the National Lime

Association, and the Portland Cement Association.

Regardless of the method of financing, sufficient funds should be proAuded to carry a particular in- vestigation to completion, assuming, of course, that

preliminary results indicate the desirability of the

investigation.

Finall}^, the importance of the continuity of the

work can not be OA^erstressed. Research conducted

spasmodically when conditions permit or when necessity arises is not nearly as effective as Avell-laid-out

programs of research carried on throughout a period

of years.

MEASURING SOUND ABSORPTION

The rate at which a sound dies out in a room, or

its rate of decay, is most important in measuring the

sound absorption of materials designed to correct acoustical defects in auditoriums, theaters, or other

places of assembly or entertainment. Four different

electrical recording methods for measuring the rate of decay of sound in a room haAn been used at the

Bureau of Standards during the past several years. The latest of these methods is almost entirely auto- matic in operation, thus eliminating the human ele- ment which has been associated with reverberation

measurements in the past. This method works

through a large range of sound intensity. Observations are made at definite intervals and the rate of

decay is accurately known through the whole range.

The July issue of the Bureau of Standards Journal

of Research describes a special relay device which

uses a pentode tube as an oscillator. The oscillator acts as a “ trigger ” circuit to stop an electrical timer

as the sound decays to a definite level. An apparatus

consisting of three relays and series of cams driven

by an electric motor with a high reduction gear provides an automatic control for the reverberation

meter. This will also be procurable in a separate

print, known as Bureau of Standards Research Paper

No. 457.

BUILDERS’ HARDWARE (NONTEMPLATE)

Reaffii’mation of the commercial standard entitled

“ Builders Hardware (Nontemplate) CS22—30 ” was

announced to manufacturers, distributors, and users of builders’ hardware on Jime 21. This action was

taken on the recommendation of the standing committee after considering an adherence survey report

covering the 6-month period ending December 31,

1931. Such surveys are conducted periodically with

the cooperation of manufacturers to determine the

need for revising the standard to bring it into line

with current developments in the industry.

This commercial standard covers certain general

rules and practices, together with a list of finishes

recommended by the industry as standard for domestic use. Brief descriptions of a number of sizes and

types of hardAvare which are generally accepted as standard are also included.

This standard was originally issued as Simplified

Practice Recommendation No. 18, Avhich became ef- fective January 1, 1925. A revision of this recom- mendation was issued in 1927, becoming effective on May 1 of that 3’^ear. Upon a third revision three

years later, at which time the recommendations were

expanded, it was issued as Commercial Standard

CS22—30, becoming effective for new production on June 1, 1930.
AUGUST, 1932 COMMEKCIAL STANDAEDS MONTHLY 43

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF STANDARDIZATION

State Purchasing Agents Review the Many Advantages That Result from Standardization as Against the

Disadvantages

By George H. Haines^

The advantages of standardization are so obvious

that to even think of disadvantages seems but mockery.

However, there are in our midst persons who look

upon the purchasing agent as just another official, and

those who never seek the advice of the one trained

in buying. There is another class who feel that the

purchasing agent has been appointed to act as a “rubber stamp.” Why are remarks of this nature

injected into the subject of standardization? Purchases made by superintendents of institutions and

heads of departments to satisfy some particular whim

are the underlying factor in ruining the advantages

of standardization.

Some few years ago, when the writer was placed in

a position where conditions could only be described

as chaotic, he was forced, through many hours of dis- appointments and discouraging labor in his efforts, to promote the standardization which he knew would

substitute a settled mode of procedure for a condition

of chaos. Perseverance alone, with standardization as the paramount thought, has produced the desired sys- tem and promoted . the economic status of the tax- payer’s dollar. To set up a system clear to all for

whom such principles must be outlined is by no means

an easy task. If selfish motives were cast aside and

intelligent business minds acted to the advantages of

standardization, further frugal harmony would re- place the unpleasant and unsympathetic reaction of

those who encroach upon the activities and duties

which belong to the purchasing function.

Standardization’^ advantages can be realized in full only when the principles are strictly adhered to. Standardization does not apply to the actual buying

alone, even though the material things .so purchased

are more conspicuous to the laymen by their substantial nature, their ability of being handled and compared for quality, size, workmanship, and all the

other characteristics, which make this sort of standardization relatively simple. Standardization must

also be practiced by the individual in his habits, his

attitude toward his fellow workers, his personality,

and the other characteristics Avhich stamp him as a man, a square shooter, and in whom explicit confi- dence can be placed.

The advantages of standardization can be extended

from the individual to the physical plant, the office, the warehouse, or stockrooms. The advantage of

standardization in this direction not alone promotes

efficiency, but also insures loyalty on the part of those

entrusted to the many phases of the activity. Standardization of the treatment to all employees alike

reflects itself in the quality of their performance;

the service rendered is unstinted and generous, the

price jDaid pays dividends. Standardization finds

‘Purchasing agent. State of Rhode Island, Howard, R. I.; abstract

of paper delivered before the governmental purchasing group and

committee session of the National Association of Purchasing .Agents, Detroit, June 7, 1932.

everything in its alloted space. Standardization finds

records Avhere one expects to find them. Even the

janitor may catch the fever; the floors, the hallways,

the platfonn bespeaking standardization in his

method. The advantages of standardization become

apparent in the accounting office through which thousands of requisitions pass, thousands of inAmices are vouchered, recorded and approA^ed, thousands of additions and deductions made from the stock ledgers,

thousands of orders written, checked, and issued, all adequately indexed for instant reference. No one

will deny the adA'antages of standardization in the

accounting office when the annual audit reveals absolute accuracy.

Standardization may shoAV its advantages in many

more respects, such as the standardization of specification forms, the standardization of intelligent bid proposal and quotation forms, standardized methods in

handling the bundles of mail, parcel post, express and

freight matter, and routed and distributed to eliminate any possible confusion.

The adA^antages of standardization in the writer’s

opinion are undisputed. Only those men or Avomen

who have made a study of conditions as they actuall}^

exist in a purchasing department can readily appreciate these adA^antages. The subject matter can best

be anal3‘zed b}^ scrutinizing the monthly and yearl}'

reports, tlie adherence to budget alloAvances, the sav- ings made through investigation and frugal decisions,

all of which present a clear picture of the adA^antages

of standardization.

The disadvantages of standardization can be ex- pressed only Avhen some part of the service for which

standardization Avas created is antagonistic to ideas or principles which limit certain activity in the fields of

purchasing. I can recall only minor infractions which

tend to diminish the efficiency of standardization and

its advantages.

At times I have felt that the minority Avould Aueld

to the majority in its acceptance of articles which

satisfy the desires and uses of the greater number.

This is not always the case, however, and sometimes

the inconsiderate demand that their Avill be appeased.

Thus disadvantage is injected in standardization. To

illustrate the point, alloAv me to present some examples

by selecting a fcAv of the smaller items stocked in our

Avarehouse. Nine of our institutions have adopted an

extra heavy hot-dip galvanized Avater pail in a 14- quart size. It is quite natural that a merchant or storehouse keeper stocks that Avhich the majoritj^ of

his customers call for. One institution demands a 16- quart iiail of an equal AA'eight and qualitAU This is Avhere disadvantages affect standardization and it is disadA-antageous not alone to standardization but also

to the taxpa^^er, for obvious reasons. The purchase of smaller quantities involves additional costs. The added cost applies not only to the

purchase of the smaller quantities, but also to the
44 COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1932

additional paper transaction, separate orders, separate

invoicing, separate recording, and the time of the

purchasing agent and his i clerks in making individual

purchases, not mentioning the additional carting or express charges.

Disadvantages are also created by Utopian ideas of

individuals who have received their education through

the glaring ads in magazines, the embellishment of

which has fixed in the mind of the reader that nothing

else will do. Little do they realize that the labeled

goods they are asking for are made from basic materials which are quite as' efficient in effect if put to proper use. I know of an instance where it is neces- sary to pay 10 cents a pound for a preparation, which

may be bought for 4 cents a pound if the user would

accept expert advice. In using the words “ expert

advice,” I do not especially refer to the purchasing

agent’s knowledge of the product, but with the purchasing agent’s contact with research laboratories.

On several occasions, a test was made of other items,

and I might suggest soap in this example. One in- stitution laundry head could not use the soap chip

because it was not labeled “ amber.” Permission was

received from the dealer to paste some “ amber ” labels on the barrel which the institution had returned

as unsatisfactory. The same barrel was then reshipped

to the offended institution and it was “ just what was

wanted ” and never came back. Of course, the soap

chip was a standard product, and it proved to be advantageous even after being condemned as a “standardized disadvantage.”

The disadvantages of standard products are practically nil, and the advantages from close adherence

to standardization are numerous. Many cases can

be cited, similar to the example above, and I will

vouch for the overwhelming balance in favor of advantages, which present themselves every minute of a busy day.

A. S. T. M. SPECIFICATIONS FOR GRAY IRON CASTINGS REVISED

A long step forward for the gray iron branch of the

foundry industry was accomplished at the thirty-fifth

annual meeting of the American Society for Testing

Materials when the committee presented proposed

tentative specifications for gray iron castings. These

specifications, which offer revisions and will supersede

present A. S. T. M. standard specifications for gray

iron castings and also those relating to so-called hightest cast iron, involve many new departures.

Seven classes of gray iron castings are listed and

designated, running from 20,000 to 60,000 pounds per

square inch tensile strength. Transverse tests are provided as optional and provide for three bars, 0.875,

1.2, and 2.0 inches in diameter, which are to be tested

upon span lengths of 12, 18, and 24 inches, respectively.

Proportionate requirements for minimum brealdng

loads at the center are provided, in accordance with

the various classifications. Both tension and transA^erse bars are cast separately from the casting.

A table of correction factors for variation from

these diameters is supplied. Various requirements as to workmanship, finish, inspection, and other factors are included and at the request of the buyer, the manufacturer is obligated to certify his product to conform

to the requirements of the specifications. Chemical

content is subordinated to physical properties, except

upon individual agreement.

On agreement between manufacturer and purchaser

three diameters of transverse test bars are as follows

:

Test bar

Controlling

section of castings

Nominal

diameter

of test bar as

cast

A

Inches

0. 76

0. 75-1. 10

1. 11-2. 00

Inches

0, 875

1.20 2.00 B_. c

The committee also presented new tentative specifications for cast-iron culvert pipe divided into standard, heavy, and extra-heavy classifications. New proposed tentative specifications Avere pre- sented to cover castings for railway, motor vehicle,

agricultural machinery, and general-purpose machinery uses. These offer two grades with tensile strength

requirements of 50,000 and 53,000 pounds per square

inch, respectively, and elongation of 10 and 18 per cent

in 2 inches.

ROADSIDE FARM-PRODUCE STANDS USE

LABEL TO IDENTIFY QUALITY OF PRODUCTS

Following the example set by roadside stand operators in Massachusetts in 1931, OAvners of roadside

stands in Maine, Rhode Island, and Connecticut will

this season adopt the use of the New England roadside stand sign. This sign is leased to roadside stand

operators hy the State departments of agriculture on

the condition that the stand comply with certain

standards established by the commissioners of

agriculture. It is part of the New England farm

marketing program, sponsored by the New England

council.

The regulations are practically uniform for all four

States which have adopted the use of the sign. They

include requirements as to cleanliness, appearance,

location, and source of products. All products offered

for sale must be grown on the owner’s farm or be

bought directly from near-by producers. At least two kinds of produce must bear the New England

quality label, sponsored bj^’ the council, or one such

product must constitute 25 per cent of the stand’s sale. In all four States where the sign has been adopted,

the department of agriculture Avill inspect each registered stand periodically throughout the year for the

purpose of giving the stand owner whatever assist- ance possible and to make certain that the established

standards are complied with.
AUGUST, 1932 COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY 45

FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS

Eleven specifications were acted on by the Federal

Specifications Board during the month of July. Of

this number five proposed specifications and six re- visions have been sent out for official comment and

criticism. Copies of these specifications in mimeographed foi’in and further information can be obtained from the Federal Specifications Board, Bureau

of Standards, Washington, D. C.

{Specifications proposed)

New designation Specifications to be revised OldF. S. B. No.

I’-C^51 Cloth, abrasive, aluminum o.vide 387b. P-P-101 - - - Paper, abrasive, artificial, waterproof. 582. P-P-1 11 Paper, flint .. 385b. P-P-12] Paper, garnet ^ P-P-126 Paper, garnet, waterproof . - 583. KK-L-291. Leather, upholstery _ 183.

A. S. T. M. CONFERENCE APPROVES 40 NEW

STANDARDS AND 75 REVISIONS OF OLD

STANDARDS

Much new work in developing specifications was re- ported at the thirty-fifth annual meeting of the American Society for Testing Materials, despite the unfavorable influence of economic conditions, which were

reflected in a sharp decrease in attendance as com-

]iared with last year. Research was stressed as the chief objective of the

society in an address by the retiring president, F. O.

Clements, director of research of the General Motors

Corporation, Detroit, Mich. Doctor Clements as- serted that the objective of the American Society for

Testing Materials must be a continual search for new

knowledge and pointed out that the society’s extensive

standardization work involves the danger of leading

to mental standardization. “ The antidote and rem- edy for such a danger,” he said, “ is a continual search

for new knowledge, or research in the field of materials.” By approximate count the meeting approved some

40 new standards and 75 revisions of standards. They

bring the total number of the society’s specifications

II]) to about 660. A noteworthy change in procedure, tending to speed

up the adoption of speciheations, became operative

during the past year through the action of the new

committee on standards, which is empowered to promulgate new tentative standards without their being

submitted to a meeting of the society. Through this

committee 15 new tentative standards ivere issued during the year, in addition to four revisions of previously

existing standards. The new specifications included

a group of five covering welded-steel pipe, lock-bar

jiipe, and riveted-steel and wrought-iron pipe, a specification for masonry cement, and a bend test for

ductility of metal.

Two important recommendations of the steel committee were adopted : A restriction of Bessemer steel to acid Bessemer, and new specifications for structural

I Ahiininura alUiy. bars, rods, sluip.'s, and wiro (alumlnum-coppermansnnesium-manganese) . Cloth, cotton, for baling ijurposes. Treads, safety. Tubing, copper, seamless (for general use with

1. I’. S. flanged fittings). Tubing, copper, seamless (for use with

soldered or flared fittings)]

medium steel and for rivets. The former change af- fects 15 specifications of the society and is stated to be

due to the fact that basic Bessemer is not manufactured in this country, and that in any special case the

[Hirchaser may specify that basic Bessemer will be ac- ceptable. The medium steel specification was drafted

because of demands for higher-strength steel for heavy

construction.

A specification for structural rivet steel also was

adopted as tentative. Such material is to have a tensile strength of 52,000 to 62,000 pounds, yield point

28,000 or one-half the tensile strength, elongation in

8 inches, 1,500,000/tensile strength, and cold bend 180°

flat on itself. Phosphorus limits are 0.06 acid and

0.04 basic, and sulphur 0.045. Reinforcing-bar specifications were modified tentatively by eliminating the

clause that permitted machining test specimens taken

from deformed bars and by defining in some detail

the bend-test procedure. Further, with respect to

rail-steel reinforcement bars, a clause was added to exclude specifically the manufacture of such bars from

anything other than standard section T rail. Electric-fusion-welded steel pipe was divided bj'^ suitable

changes in the specifications into two classes, for pipe

under 30 inches in diameter and for pipe 30 inches and

more. On recommendation of the wrought iron committee,

a specification for riveted steel and wrought-iron pipe

promulgated during the past year was changed hj re- quiring that rivets in wrought-iron pipe shall be of

wrought iron. Such rivets for the present are to be

of staybolt-grade bars.

A specification revising the 2-year-old specification

for malleable-iron castings was presented, to provide

for a grade of higher strength than heretofore recognized. The new grade is required to have a minimum

tensile strength of 53,000 and a yield point of 35,000,

with 18 per cent elongation in 2 inches.

The cement committee, as a result of the activities of the cement reference laboratory, whose inspectors

have found that changes in tolerances in the dimensions of some testing equipment would be advisable

and that the wording of the old specifications is ambiguous, presented a revision of the specification of

standard methods of testing cement. A supplement

to this specification, known as the manual of cement

testing, was also revised so as to be more explicit and more detailed. Also, tentative specifications and tests for compressive strength of Porfland cement mortars,

first issued in 1916, was withdrawn, inasmuch as it lias been found that the small-cylinder test specimens arc too difficult to make. Studies are being made upon a cube as a test specimen, and the use of plastic mortal-. In the report of the committee on road and pavingmaterials principal interest centered on discussion of

the adoption of standard definitions for bitumen,

asphalt, flux, tar, and pitch. The contention of those

opposing the definitions were that pressure still residue

might be sold as asphalt, tar, or pitch, and that the

definitions were indefinite and not in accord witli classical, colloquial, or teclmical English. The defini- tions were recommended for letter ballot by the society.

As an aid in sampling and analyzing timber preservalives, A’olume and specific gravity correction tables

for creosote, creosote coal tar solution, and coal tar have been prejiared by the Bureau of Standards, and

were adopted as a tentative standard of the society.
46 COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1932 FIBER INSULATING BOARD

The recommended commercial standard for fiber insulating board as adopted by the general conference

of manufacturers, distributors, and users of the product held in Chicago, 111., on May 16, 1932, was circulated to the industry for written acceptance.

Mimeographed copies of this standard may be obtained gratis from the Division of Trade Standards,

Bureau of Standards, Washington, D. C.

CAST STONE

A preliminary conference of cast-stone manufacturers was held in Washington, D. C., on June 17

to formulate plans for the establishment of a commercial standard covering the colors and finishes for

cast stone. The conference was held at the conclusion of a 3-day exhibit of cast-stone samples submitted by manufacturers from all sections of the

country. Thirty manufacturers participated by furnishing 104 samples, approximately one-half of which

were submitted by nonmembers of the Cast Stone

Institute, the organization which is sponsoring the

project. The samples were arranged into 14 groups,

according to color and finish, the manufacturers identification marks having been removed from all samples

prior to the exhibit.

Preliminary selections of first, second, and third

choice of the proposed standard samples were made

from each group bj^ an advisory committee composed

of private architects and representatives from the construction divisions of the several Federal departments.

Final selection of the 14 proposed standard samples were made by a special committee of five members, the

personnel of which is as follows

:

F. Leo Smith, technical secretary of the structural service department of the American Institute of Architects. A. J. Boase, regional structural engineer, Portland Cement

Association. Ernest A. Wiedeman, vice president, Economy Concrete Co.

of Virginia (Inc.), and President of the Cast Stone Institute. John Tucker, jr., chief of the cement and concreting materials

section of the Bureau of Standards.

G. W. Wray, of the division of trade standards. Bureau of Standards. The wide variation of shade necessitated the selec- tion of 3 gray and 3 buff samples with rubbed finish,

and 2 gray and 2 buff samples with bush-hammered

finish, as proposed standard samples.

The proposed standard samples are to be designated

as follows

:

Designation Color

SS-lOA Gray

SS-lOB do SS-IOC SS-20A

SS-20B

SS-30

SS-40 SS-15A Buff SS-15B do SS-15C

SS-25A

SS-25B

SS-35.-

Finish

Rubbed.

Do. Do. Bush hammered.

Do.

Brushed.

Etched. Rubbed.

Do.

Do. Bush hammered.

Do.

Brushed. Etched.

In accordance with the standardization program,

small duplicates of the above proposed standard

samples are to be made available to manufacturers

through the Cast Stone Institute, and will probabl}'’

be ready for distribution about September 1, 1932.

Sets of samples are to be prepared by the institute

and placed in the construction divisions of Federal,

State, and municipal governments for guidance in the

selection of the desired cast stone for specific jobs.

Present plans call for a small sample of the cast stone specified to be furnished to the successful general contractor and another to the building inspector

for comparison with the material actually delivered.

It is not expected that any one manufacturer will

be able to furnish cast stone to match all proposed

standard samples. Each manufacturer is expected

to work out his formulas for matching the standard

samples using materials available to him. In this

work the manufacturer is to be furnished with as much information as the Institute has available con- cerning source and size of aggregate, etc. A list of

manufacturers throughout the country will be pre- pared showing the standard colors and finishes that

each manufacturer can furnish. This list will be

distributed to Federal, State, and municipal construction divisions, architects and general contractors to inform them which of the standard cast stones are available in various sections of the country.

The proposed standard sample plan will be tried

out for perhaps a year, and if it works successfully

the project will be brought to a general conference

of manufacturers, distributors, and users of cast stone.

It is the belief of those sponsoring this enterprise

that the standards of color and texture will facilitate

the procurement of the desired material and clarify

misunderstandings that have often occurred between

the architect and .the manufacturer of cast stone.

BINDER’S BOARD SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE

REAFFIRMED

Several years ago the Binder’s Board Manufacturers’ Association requested the assistance of the

Bureau of Standards in reducing the then existing

diversity of sizes and thickness of binder’s board.

A factual survey made at that time revealed the fact

that there were being produced a total of 718 different

sizes of the product, and that each size was made

in from 1 to 27 different thicknesses. The survey

further indicated that 790 items were sold in lots of

from 100 to 1,000 bundles each, and that only 193

items were in sufficient demand to run the individual

totals over 1,000 bundles each.

In order to improve manufacturing and marketing

conditions existing in the trade, a general conference

of all interests met in 1928, under the auspices of the

Bureau of Standards, and gave approval to a simplified schedule of 10 stock sizes of binders’ board.

This recommendation, desigmated as Simplified Practice Recommendation No. 81-28, became effective on March 1, 1928, subject to an annual review by representatives of the industry. These 10 stock sizes have

satisfactorily met the needs of the trade so the standing committee of the industry has just informed the' Bureau of Standards that the schedule has been re- affirmed, without change, for another year.
august, 1932 COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY 47

PAPER CONES AND TUBES FOR TEXTILE

WINDING

A general conference .of manufacturers, distributors, and users recently held in New York, approved

a simplified practice recommendation for paper cones and tubes used in the textile industry for winding

purposes. This program, which was developed under

the ausiiices of the Bureau of Standards, is the first of a series of similar programs for various textile

machinery parts.

In reviewing the need for such simplification, E. F. Parks, general superintendent of the Universal Winding Co., stated that prior to the approval of the

simplified schedule there were being manufactured 163

distinct types of spindles with 1,900 varying sizes. This caused an inflation of manufacturing costs and

inventory. The new industries have no tabulations

of standards to order equipment from and the older

textile industries most frequently order their new

machines equipped with spindles “ same as last ” or, “ with spindles to fit bobbin or tube as per sample

herewith.”

The “ same-as-last ” customers might easily pick some standard spindle, if such were tabulated, that

could be used equally well and the “ sample herewith ”

is generally picked at random and usually only varies

from what might have easily been standard had no

error been made in its manufacture or had it been

made to conform to some standard bobbin, quill, or

tube. “ From our records,” said Mr. Parks, “ we have pre- pared our own lists and drawings of what we consider

standard, particularly with reference to the hole size. These standards are called for on approximately 80

per cent of our orders and, on the remaining 20 per

cent, they are special. On one machine alone, we

have 30 standard style spindles with 200 different

sizes, and in the special spindles we have 74 styles

with 1,016 varied sizes.” The first meeting of manufacturers of various kinds

of textile machinery to consider this proposal was held

in June, 1929, in New York. Those attending the conference were unanimous in their belief that diversification in the industry as regards types, sizes, am’

varieties of wooden filling bobbins, quills, spools, spindles, and paper tubes and cones offered an unusual op-

|)ortunity for simplification, and expressed their desire

to cooperate in the effort to develop simplified practice recommendations for their respective companies.

The companies were also unanimous in the belief that

the details of a simplified practice recommendation for

each part could best be handled by a committee of

manufacturers making that item. Accordingly, committees were appointed to represent the following

groups : Winding-machine manufacturers ; carding

and spinning machine manufacturers; loom manufacturers; bobbin, spool, and shuttle manufacturers;

paper tube manufacturers ; and worsted spinning mule

manufacturers.

While no specific recommendations were made as to

tlie scope of the initial program, it was suggested that

consideration be given to hole sizes for spindles, re- duction in variety of bobbins and quills of all kinds,

and reduction in number of sizes of paper cones and

tubes. The committee on paper cones and tubes was i tlic first to formulate its proposals and, upon the re- I

quest of its chairman, J. L. Coker, 3d., president,

Sonoco Products Co., Hartsville, S. C., the general

conference on June 29, 1932, was called. The recommendation, as presented by the committee

and approved by the conference, covers cones and parallel tubes made of paper. The schedule of sizes of cones includes over-all length, inside diameter at the

base, taper, dry weight per 1,000, length of nose

burnish, traverse, use, and color. Thirteen varieties

in all are listed ranging in length from 5yg to lOi/^

inches, and in base diameter from 1.818 to 3.273 inches.

These are used for warp and knitting yarns, silk,

rayon, hosiery yarns, tire cords, etc. The schedule

provides for nine varieties of parallel paper tubes

ranging in length from 2% inches to 6% inches and

in insid^e diameter from % to 1% inches. The recom- mendation lists for these tubes include length, inside

diameter, dry weight per 1,000, color and use. Some

of the S2Decified uses are light and heavy Aveight thread

j)ackage, rayon yarn, shoe thread, wire insulatingyarn, etc. The actual reduction in variety, considering all factors, which will folloAv the adojition of this jirogram

is indeterminate. In the opinion of the chairman of

the committee, J. L. Coker, gradual adoption of the

recommended sizes in place of the many now used for

the same or similar jAuiqioses will not only help to jirevent increase in unnecessary variety but will work

toward the gradual elimination of many sizes now in

use. As the demand increases for the recommended

sizes, the economies inherent in simjilification will be

realized.

MANUAL ON PURCHASE AND USE OF LUMBER DISCUSSED BY LUMBERMEN

One of the most imjiortant developments of the 1932

convention of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association was the explanation of a proposed lumber

jDurchase and use specification manual, Avhich the as- sociation has had under way for a jieriod of nearly

five years. This manual was described to the lumbermen as in- tended for the architect, engineer, and designer who

sjiecifies what the ultimate consumer should buy and

use. It would deal Avith the classification and grading

of lumber onlj'- sufficiently detailed to acquaint this

class of buyer with some of the basic lArinciples of

grading lumber; the classes of lumber in which he is intei’ested; the advantages of American lumber standards; the kinds, sizes, items and grades available.

Another section of the manual Avould shoAV hoAv to

select lumber. Tables and charts would jiresent technical data on jArojierties of all siiecies, and Avould

include basic engineering information. More than

50 per cent of the manual Avould deal Avith siiecifying

ancl using lumber. It Avould consist of definite recom- mendations as to species, and the grades in those

species, for the bulk of the uses to which softAvood

yard lumber, structural materials and finishing lumber are put. It Avould enable (he user to determine

all the individual sjiecies suitable for the individual

2)arts of building, highAvay bridges, docks, AvharA’cs,

piers and oth-er structures. KnoAving suitable s^^ecies. the user Avould then be able to determine the grades

recommended in each s^iecies foi- the different classes of Avork and construction.
48 COMMERCIAL, STANDARDS MONTHLY AUGDST, 1932 PROTECTION THROUGH QUALITY

IDENTIFICATION

There is always a market for quality. People in

general like to know what the}^ are getting for their

money. Unconsciously they compare lvalues with some

standard set up in that particular commodity. They

measure the value they receive in terms of the recog- nized value that they would secure from the standard.

The trend in marketing is toward specification of

quality. This trend is making itself felt in practically

every line and is usually guaranteed through the

medium of a self-identifying quality label. Purchasers, inspectors, municipal authorities, and

many others are interested in knowing whether or not

devices and materials have been listed by Underwriters’ Laboratories. There are many devices and,, materials to which the Underwriters’ Laboratories label service form of inspection is not applied, but which are inspected under the laboratories’ reexamination service. To determine whether or not such goods have

been passed upon by the laboratories, it has hitherto

been necessary to search through rather voluminous

lists for the manufacturer’s name and the article and

to compare the catalogue number or other marking of

the device Avith the description given.

In order to provide, for devices and materials under

its reexamination serAuce, a more positive, convenient,

and immediately available means of determining

whether or not a cleAdce or material is listed, the lab- oratories have now made available, for use under

suitable regulation, a marker to be applied to such

goods. This marker is a circular design bearing the

words “ Listed under reexamination service, UnderAvriters’ Laboratories,” Avhich is to be attached to the

goods or appears on the carton or other container in which the device or material is sold. It may appear

in various color combinations under the regulations

of the laboratories governing its use.

POLISHED COTTON TWINE

Because of the many factors which enter into the

jiroduction, distribution, and use of all kinds of twine,

this commodity is susceptible to simplification. Experience with simplification programs for twine made

of various hard hbers and of soft or jute fibers has

shoAvn that sound programs for these materials are not only Avell supported by the industry but result

in the benefits Avhich are expected to folloAv. The Bureau of Standards has announced that the

simplification program for polished cotton twine

(R124) has received sufficient support to insure its initial success and that copies of the published recom- mendation may be had from the Superintendent of

Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington,

D. C., at 5 cents per copy. The general conference

of the industry to consider this recommendation was

held in NeAV York on June 17, 1931. The essential

information upon which the progTam was based was

collected by a simplified pracfice committee of manufacturers in cooperation with the Bureau of Standards.

The surA'ey disclosed that a great deal of diversifi- cation existed in the industry as regards the size of

yarns from Avhich this material is made ; also a lack

of uniformity in the number of feet per pound of

the twine made from these yarns. The survey also disclosed that there existed a wide and unnecessary

range of put-nps; that is, weights of tAvine in balls,

tubes, skeins, cut lengths, and reels. Packaging practice was also found to vary considerabl3^ The simplification program as adopted by the industry provides uniform numbers for twines ranging from No.

9 to No. 60, inclusii'e, for fine twine; and from No. 4^2

to No. 8, inclusive, for coarse twine. Two sizes of

yarn. No. 8 and No. 2, are specified for use in manufacturing all numbers of twines. Heretofore, the

practice has been to use several different yarn sizes for this purpose. The schedule also provides uniform put-ups as regards the weight of twine in balls,

tubes, reels, and skeins. Uniform packaging practice

for all put-ups is achieved by specifying the number

in primary and shipping containers.

Polished cotton twine is the name giA^en to cotton

tAvine Avhich has received special treatment to give

it a polish or finish. It is used for wrapping where

finish and appearance are desirable, and a large vol- ume is used by department and specialty stores. It is produced in natural white and surface dyed. The

colors specified are light tan, dark brown, gray, and

green. Colored tAvine is used by stores desiring to carry out a color scheme in their wrapping and packing practice. Shades of the four colors recommended

Avill meet the normal requirements of those who use

this material.

In the opinion of those concerned with the development of this program, its adoption and use will assist in simplifying manufacturing and distribution problems and result in better service to the user as well as a more uniform material. It is felt that the adoption

of the progi’am is a forward step in the industry, and

those who adhere to it Avill be placed in a better position to compete with materials used for the same

purpose.

AMERICAN FOREST-PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES

Standardization of forest products is needed as an

aid to better marketing of these products, according to Wilson Compton, secretary and manager of the National Lumber IManufacturers Association. The matter of an orderly deA^elopment of timber and Avood conA^ersion industries has been under consideration by the

lumber industry for several 3^ears, and the 1932 conA^ention of the association gave approval to the establishment of the American Forest Products Industries

to carry out this program. The scope of function of

this new group will be to encourage simplification and

standardization,, research, orderly industry planning

and responsible public representation of the forest

products industries.

In presenting the proposal to the annual meeting of

the lumbermen, Mr. Compton pointed out that such an organization avouIcI have as its fundamental membership the timber ownerships and the lumber in- dustry. It should, hoAvever, he said, include millwork,

wood box, flooring, A^eneer and plywood, avoocI insulation, small dimensions, poles and piling, and cooperage ; and eventually such industries as Avood pulp,

naA^al stores, and the products of Avood chemistry and

Avood cellulose.
AUaUST, 1932 COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY 49

TIDE TABLES

On Christmas eve, 1933, the low tide in New York

Harbor, at the Battery, will occur at exactly 8.54 p. m.

eastern standard time, according to the Tide Tables,

Atlantic Coast of North America, published by the

United Coast and Geodetic Survey. The publication

contains full tide predictions from Greenland to the

Canal Zone for 27 ports and gives differences and

constants for more than 1,300 stations.

The prediction of tides is one of the important

activities of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. By the

aid of a machine, it is possible to predict automatically

the stage of the tide at any place on the coasts of the

seven seas at any designated time for years in advance.

Tide tables for 1934 are now being compiled. (The

complete official story on this tide predicting machinery appeared in the November, 1931, issue of Commercial Standards Monthly.)

The exact information on tides is much more vital

to trade and industry than may be apparent at first glance. Without definite advance knowledge of tide

actions, shipmasters would be continually endangering

their vessels; docks and alongshore structures could

not be planned efficiently ; engineers planning sea

walls, jetties, and bridges would be working blindly.

Those in charge of dredging entrance channels to harbors must know the rise and fall of the tide to determine how deep the channels must be dredged, so that vessels may be accommodated at the lowest tide. Likewise information on the tides is of paramount

interest to sportsmen and vacationists who plan out- ings along the shores of tidal waters. Tide Tables,

Atlantic Coast of North America, also give the time

of sunri.se and sunset, moonrise and moonset.

SAFETY FOR THE HOUSEHOLD

Bureau of Standards Issues a Publication on Causes and

Prevention of Household Accidents

Accidents in the home, Avhich take a toll of about

30,000 of the total of 100,000 accidental deaths an- nually in the United States, have been analyzed by

the Bureau of Standards and found to be largely

preventable, according to a new pamphlet just issued

by the bureau, entitled “ Safety for the Household.”

The pamphlet presents detailed suggestions for pre- venting home accidents, such as elimination of specified conditions which cause falls on stairways, a fruit- ful source of accidents and deaths ; provision of

guards to prevent injury by household mechanical

devices, such as washers, wringers, fans, and lawn

mowers; proper disposal of broken glass and trash;

and care to avoid placing of articles where the}^ will cause stumbling or where they may fall on persons. Hazards may be due to physical conditions, to careless habits, or to a combination of both. The former

should be dealt with when building the house; the

latter are largely a question of housekeeping and

hence receive the most attention in this pamphlet,

which may be had from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., for 15 cents a copy. Hazards are classified as mechanical (falls, machinery, cuts, etc.), fii’e, gas (fire, asphyxiation), electrical (shock, fire), lightning

(shock, fire), and miscellaneous (poisons, etc.).

Proper attention to railings, floor coverings, keepingsteps clear, lighting, and avoiding substitute for stepladders will avoid many falls. Power-operated machines require guards. Fires are started by defective

chimneys, combustible roofs, defective heating apparatus, matches, careless smoking, gasoline, rubbish,

Christmas decorations, electrical defects, lightning,

etc. Attention is given to fire-retardant treatment of

materials and what to do in case of fire. Gas leaks, proper choice and installation of appliances, and adjustment, operation and care of appli- ances are fully discussed. Flexible tubing is a hazard. Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs from

running automobile motors in closed garages. Electrical fuses must be kept intact, standard cords and

approved appliances used, and grounding carried out

if fires and shocks are to be avoided. Handling of

appliances in wet places should be avoided. Do not

touch live parts. Do not touch plumbing, etc., while

handling appliances. Proper protection from lightning is stated. Poisons should be labeled and kept out of reach of

children. Exercise care in use of alcohol, varnishes,

polishing, and cleansing materials, disinfectants,

fumigants, insecticides, and drugs. Methods of first aid are given, including resuscitation, treatment of

burns, scalds, and bruises. Suggestions for building

a home cover items involving construction and equipment.

BRITISH STANDARD VOLTAGES

The British Standards Institution has issued a re- vision of its specification dealing with voltages for new systems and installations. As regards low volt- age, no alteration to the existing standards has been

made, but the number of standard high voltages has

been somewhat reduced, and special provision has been

made for the requireinents of the high-voltage interconnected networks of the Central Electricit}? Board.

A special recommendation has been made with re- gard to the voltage to be adopted for rural electrifica- tion schemes.

STANDARD FOR BLACK BOLTS AND NUTS

In 1924 the British standard specification for nuts,

boltheads, and spanners, Avas withdraAvn in conse- quence of the publication of specifications dealing Avith bright bolts and nuts, and spanners.

The demand for a British standard for black bolts

and nuts, subsequent to the Avithdrawal of the specification in 1924, led the British Standards Institution to issue, separately, the table of dimensions for

black bolts and nuts. It has been felt, hoAvever, that,

for an engineering commoditj'^ of sucli general use as black bolts and nuts, a definite specification Avas necessary, and this need has been met by the publication, by

the institution, of a specification for black bolts and

nuts, studs, lock nuts, ami Avashers. The specification provides for bolts of diameters from one-fourth

inch up to 0 inches and gives the dimensions for the

heads, lock nuts, and Avashers, and the length of the

screAved portion. Tolerances on the Avidth across flats and on the thickness of the heads and nuts are also given.
50 COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1932

S. A. E. ASSISTING ARMY WITH MOTORTRANSPORT PROBLEMS

At the time of the transportation meeting of the

Society of Automotive Engineers, held October, 1931, a general conference was held at the office of the

Quartermaster General of the Army and plans of the

Quartermaster Corps for the standardized motorization of Army transport equipment were explained and

cooperation of industry in the plans discussed. At

the meeting of the society’s committee on January

28, 1932, plans were perfected for cooperation whereby

several groups were appointed to study the units coming within their classification, as planned for by the

Quartermaster Corps.

Although economic conditions have made appreciable progress by some of the groups very difficult,

considerable has been done by some of them. A meeting of the committee was held June 15, 1932, to review

what each group had accomplished and determine

what remains to be done to complete the society’s

part in the Quartermaster Corps program. It was

reported that all groups had made some progress but

that in some cases not much could be done until the

groups representing the several constructional units

had brought their reports together for consideration

as a whole.

It was decided that each group would complete its study for submission to the members of the general

advisory committee of the S. A. E. in time for them

to prepare recommendations at the next meeting of

the committee during the society’s transportation

IDENTIFICATION OF SIMPLIFIED LINES IN

TRADE LITERATURE

For more than a year, correspondence received by

the division of simplified practice of the Bureau of

Standards has reflected consumer demand for labels or other marks identifying such products as conform

to simplified practice recommendations, nationally

recognized specifications, standards, etc. Organized

consumers have requested the division of simplified

practice to point out to producers and distributors the

value of identifying simplified lines in trade litera- ture, such as catalogues, lists, and handbooks. They

have pointed out that such an identification will

greatly facilitate the selection and purchase of the

simplified items established through the cooperative

action of the industry concerned. The organized con- sumers requesting this identification include: American Electric Railway Association; American Gas Association; American Home Economics Association;

American Institute of Architects; American Railway

Association, Division VI, Purchases and Stores; Associated General Contractors of America; National

Association of Purchasing Agents; National Electric

Light Association; National Retail Dry Goods Association; and the National Wholesale Druggists’

Association.

Several hundred manufacturers have already

adopted this procedure and it is expected that hundreds more will follow, after they become properly

acquainted with the plan. The majority of those approached on the subject have concurred heartily with

the suggestion and have taken immediate steps to identify adequately the simplified lines they manufacture

or distribute.

The various methods employed include the use of

boldface type, stars or asterisks in conjunction with

appropriate notations, and brief descriptions of the

simplified lines, in the forewords of the respective

types of publications.

The following identifying notation has met with

general approval:

The listed coafonu to the industry’s Simplified Practice Recommendation No. , , as issued by the U. S. Department of Commerce. Experience has proven these to be the most practical for average

purposes, and we recommend their use. Progressive manufacturers, alert to the trend of consumer demand, recognize that such identification

offers a most excellent opportunity for focusing the

buyers’ attention on the items covered by simplified

practice recommendations. This plan is a direct means

of eliminating further waste in industry and another

step toward stabilization of the production cycle.

INTERNATIONAL CARBON-CARBURANT

CONGRESS

The second International Carbon-Carburant Congress will hold its sessions in Milan, Italy, October 1 to 7, 1932. According to advance announcement re- ceived regarding the meeting, the congress has for

its purpose the study and discussion of all questions

of a scientific, technical, economic, industrial, and commercial nature, with regard to the production and

utilization of carbon in so far as it is capable of

being used as a subsidiary fuel. The principal sections of the program as at present

outlined are:

1. Scientific, technical, and economy study of car- bon carburant.

2. Industrial production of carbon carburant.

3. Utilization and disti’ibution of carbon carburant.

All inquiries regarding the action of this congress

should be addressed to the General Secretary, Italian

Touring Club, Corso Italio 10, Milan.

PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST TO THE

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

A mimeographed circular containing a classified

list of publications relating to building materials,

building codes, home building, home OAvnership, city

planning, zoning, etc., has been prepared by the Bureau of Standards, and is designated as Letter Circular No. 290 (revised). Copies of the letter circular

may be had upon request to the Bureau of Standards,

Washington, D. C. The publications listed in the circular cover such

topics as brick, building standards, concrete, electricity, fire tests, floors, heating, insulation, metals,

paint materials, plaster, plumbing, public utilities,

roofing materials, soil corrosion, soundproofing, specifications, tile, wall board, waterproofing, and a number of other items that should be of interest to owners, architects, builders, craftsmen, realtors, and

public officials.
AUGUST, 1932 COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY 51

GENERAL CONFERENCE ON SULPHONATED

OILS

A general conference of those interested in the production, distribution, and use of sulphonated oils met

in New York on June 30 and there adopted a proposed

commercial standard for this product. The standard

will include definition, nomenclature, and strength, to- gether with standard methods of analysis for the

saponifiable types of sulphonated (sulphated) oils. The conference, after some adjustments, recommended

that the standard be circulated to the industry for general acceptance.

Copies of this recommended commercial standard

will be available for distribution by the Division of

Trade Standards, Bureau of Standards, Washington,

D. C. SIMPLIFYING WRAPPING PROCEDURE IN

STORES

The first major step in a program for the improvement of department and specialty store wrapping and

packing practice has been completed by the addition

of four simplified-practice recommendations to the

elimination of waste series of the Bureau of Standards.

These new publications are: Set-up boxes, R126-31;

folding boxes, R127-31; corrugated boxes, R128-31;

and notion and millinery paper bags, R129-31.

Copies may be obtained from the Superintendent of

Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington,

D. C. In 1930 the National Retail Dry Goods Association

requested the Bureau of Standards to conduct a sur- vey of wrapping and packing methods and supplies

used by typical member stores. The bureau’s original

survey showed that 31 stores were using 1,084 sizes of set-up boxes. The simplified practice recommendation reduces this variety to 194 sizes, eliminating 82

per cent. Similarly the variety of folding boxes was

reduced from 262 to 59 sizes, or 77 per cent; corru- gated boxes from 322 to 75 varieties, or 77 per cent; and notion and millinery paper bags from 188 to 28

varieties, or 85 per cent. The 34 department stores, representing an aggregate

sales volume of nearly $600,000,000 a year, were se- lected so as to give a wide range of local conditions.

In addition to specialty dry goods stores and large

and small department stores, there was included one

large organization doing an extensive mail order business. The survey covered methods and supplies used

for both ordinary and gift wrapping. The actual

field work was conducted during fall, winter, spring,

and summer months, so that it was possible to observe the effect on packing practice caused by sea- sonal variation in merchandise. Geographical distri- bution was also a factor in so far as it disclosed

buying habits and customer requirements.

In February, 1931, a general conference of representative manufacturers and users of wrapping and

packing supplies drafted the four simplified practice recommendations. These have now received such

volume of support, through the medium of signed

acceptances by trade associations and individual firms,

as to warrant their promulgation by the Bureau of

-Standards.

OIL-STORAGE TANKS

A general conference of interested manufacturers,

distributors, and users of oil-storage tanks was held

in New York, N. Y., June 16, and considered the

proposed commercial standard for oil-storage tanks.

It was voted to refer the standard as adjusted to the committee on flammable liquids of the National

Fire Protection Association for further consideration,

particularly to refine certain details, with the understanding that that committee Avill be temporarily ex- panded to include tank manufacturers, the American

Bureau of Welding, and others as their interest may

be apparent.

WAXED TISSUE PAPER

In order to eliminate from the list of stock items

many varieties of raw stock used for waxed tissiie paper, as well as many sizes of sheets and lengths of

household rolls, a general conference of all interests

(manufacturers, distributors, and representative

users) on May 20, 1931, approved a simplified schedule for this commodity, which was then promulgated

under the auspices of the Bureau of Standards.

Waxed paper covered by this recommendation is made by passing full-bleached all-sulphite or other

Avood-fiber paper through a bath of paraffin wax in

order to fill the pores of the paper to make it resistant

to moisture and to odors. When used as a sealed

wraiiper it also protects food products from dust and

vermin. Probably the greatest uses are for promoting

sanitary handling and shipping of foods, to prevent

contact with germ-bearing agencies, and to preserve

freshness during long-distance transportation. The

familiar bread wrapper is a typical example. It has

been estimated that its use has resulted in large sav- ings by reducing the return of stale bread. Waxed

paper is also used for the protection of other perishable foods, such as biscuits, cakes, sandwiches, cereals,

candy, meats, potato chips, sugar, salt, flour, jello

powders, cheese, butter, raisins, dates, berries, vegetables, etc. The estimated total value of the annual

production of waxed paper is $25,000,000. The vol- ume exceeds 250,000,000 pounds per annum. Of special interest is the recommended elimination

of the 400-sheet ream Avhich has been in use in cer- tain sections of the country. Those members of the

industry who sponsor the recommendation believe that

the elimination of inferior quality paper and wax

will insure a better product to the consumer. Concentration on the reduced number of sizes should be of

assistance to the manufacturer in improving his

products and rendering better service to the distribu- tors and users. For the safeguard of the consumer the recommendation provides for labeling the consumer packages and

shipping containers, and the conferees expressed a preference for a uniform label to be used for this purpose rather than individual designs. This label guarantees that the manufacturer is delivering the

recommended qualities, sizes, and counts. This acts

to prevent misrepresentation and confusion, and proAudes a uniform trade basis as Avell. Copies of the

printed recommendation (R. 125-31) may be secured

from the Superintendent of Documents, Government

Printing Office, Washington, D. C.
52 COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY

GAS GROUP ADOPTS TRADE-PRACTICE

RULES

Adoption of standards of practice by three divisions

of the Manufacturers’ Section of the American Gas

Association has been consummated. This action is considered a definite step in the direction of adjusting

relations among manufacturers of gas appliances, and

adjusting relations among these manufacturers and

their customers. The standards apply to all sales,

whether direct to consumers, to gas utility companies,

or to gas appliance dealers. These standards of practice were unanimously approved by the manufacturers’ section of the American

Gas Association at its annual meeting held in Detroit,

Mich., September 18, 1931. Printed copies of these

standards have been distributed to members of the

range, water heater, and space heater divisions, have

been signed by executives representing these companies, and have been deposited with the American

Gas Association to take effect immediately. These

standards, which follow in form those usually promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission, were voluntarily promulgated by the association without resort to the commission. They are far-reaching in their effect on consignment, premiums, returned goods, and other

factors entering into the distribution of these appli- ances from manufacturers to all their customers,

whether consumers or gas companies or trade dealers. Included in the number of rules are two relating to quality-identification marking. These two rules

follow

The false marking or branding of products of the

industry, with the effect of misleading or deceiving

purchasers with respect to the rating, quality, grade,

or substance of the goods purchased, is an unfair trade

practice.

The making or causing or permitting to be made or published any false, untrue, or deceptive statement by

Avay of advertisement or otherwise concerning the

grade, quality, rating, substance, character, nature,

origin, size, weight, capacity, design, material, condition, performance, or preparation of any product of

the industry, having the tendency and capacity to mislead or deceive purchasers or prospective purchasers,

is an unfair trade practice.

BLACKBOARD SLATE

A survey of existing practices in the blackboard

slate business several years ago brought forth the in- formation that, conservatively, fixed wall blackboards

Avere obtainable in 90 different slab heights ; that portable or small blackboards could be purchased in the

market in 141 sizes ; and that school, score, and memorandum slates were produced in 20 size variations.

It was clearly desirable that a limit be set for standard sizes and that the number of such sizes be reduced

to the lowest limit consistent Avith current normal re- quirements. Furthermore, reasonable tolerances were

needed to prevent the undue waste in quarried slate slabs incident to working to exact specifications, and

to insure prompt deliveries by making it unnecessary

to await actual completion of finished wail spaces

before taking measurements for blackboards. The

establishment of such standards Avould make it possiAUGUST, 1932 J

ble to avoid slack seasons, by allowing manufacturers

| to produce finished blackboards to supply a dependable

future demand. | Working under the auspices of the Bureau of Stand- |

ards, the industry adojited a simplified practice recom-

' mendation Avhich reduced the number of slab heights : for fixed wall blackboards, from 90 to 3 ; the number 'j of sizes of portable or small blackboards, from 141 to 14; and in the number of sizes of schools, score, and

memorandum slates, from 20 to 8. This recommendation became effective July 1, 1924, subject to annual

revicAv. In accordance with this procedure, the stand- J ing committee of the industry has notified the Bureau

of Standards that the recommendation has been re- i affirmed, without change, for another year.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS

The first of a series of specifications relating to

| railway signaling apparatus, has been issued by the H British Standards Institution. This specification 'S deals Avith terminals employed on electrical signaling

apparatus. It has been found possible to restrict the 1 number of sizes of terminals to two, thereby greatly

simplifying the work of the linesman in making ad- , justments on the site. A special design of terminal 5 has been standardized Avith a vieAV to facilitating the ) attachment and removal of wires from terminals in I awkward positions. The dimensions and the standard ; assembly of the various component parts are also

specified.

STRUCTURAL STEEL IN BUILDINGS

The British Standards Institution has issued a standard specification for the use of structural steel in buildings, which is based on the work carried out by the steel structures research committee of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and

the British Steelwork Association, on behalf of the

steel and structural engineering industries of Great

Britain. The results are now made available in the

form of the new specification, the use of which will

permit increased efficiency in building construction.

The London County council has already taken advantage of the research and the recommendations con- tained in the steel structures research committee’s first report, and has adopted a code of steelwork practice

for guidance in the application of the third schedule

of the London building act of 1930. While the code

has no status as a repealing enactment, it defines the

limits within which the authorities are prepared to consider applications for relaxation of the regulations.

It was felt that the code Avas worthy of a wider application in the national interest and that it should be

rendered in a form suitable for use by all local authorities throughout the country. Accordingly, a committee of the British Standards Institution was

formed to revieAV the recommendations and to issue a British standard specification.

Approval of the specification has been given by the

Ministry of Health, and His Majesty’s Office of Works

has indicated its intention of using it. In professional

circles it has received unqualified support and approval in view of the up-to-date provisions which

make for greater economy in building construction.

L
Annoancing the 7S[ew

STANDARDS YEARBOOK, 1932

Prepared annually.by the BUREAU OF STANDARDS, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

400 pages, bound in blue buckram

DO NOT FAIL TO READ “Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the Symposium on Standardization in Communication honest can repair.”

(Chapter I) —WASHINGTON.

THE STANDARDS YEARBOOOK for 1932 is full of suggestion and data for all engaged

in standardization. The many aspects of the subject call for a concise summary for busy

men who need to keep in touch with the latest advances in the standards field. The

Standards Yearbook is designed to meet this need.

To the interest taken by several departments of the Federal Government in simplification and standardization, a special chapter is devoted.

The Yearbook includes summaries of important national and international standardization activities and accomplishments of the Government standardizing laboratories of

England, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, and of the Bureau of Standards of the

United States.

Another chapter is devoted to the standardization activities of American technical

societies and trade associations.

An abstract of the work in standardization conducted by national standards associations

throughout the world is another feature of the Standards Yearbook.

There is also given a brief account of international cooperation in standardization.

The Standards Yearbook should be in the personal library of all engaged in work on

standards, or concerned with its application.

CONTENTS —

Chapter Chapter —

I. Standardization in Communication—a sym- VI. National Bureau of Standards. posium.

VII. Municipal, county, and State purchasing

II. International standardizing agencies. agencies. —

III. National governmental standardizing labo- VIII. General standardizing agencies, U. S. A. —

ratories. IX. Standardizing activities of technical societies IV. National industrial standardizing bodies. and trade associations. —

V. Federal standardizing agencies. X. Index.

Compiled by Bureau of Standards —

Price $1

Miscellaneous Publication No. 133 —

Cloth bound For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, United States —

Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. ——
THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

ROY D. CHAPIN, Secretary of Commerce

" * * * this department * * * is devoted solely to aiding and fostering the development of higher standards of living and comfort of our people * * * its ideals are clear: That by cooperation and not by compulsion it should seek to assist in maintaining and giving the impulse of progress to commerce and industry in a nation whose successful economic life underlies advancement in every other field.” —President Hoover, at the laying of the corner stone of the new building

of the U. S. Department of Commerce, June 10, 1929,

AERONAUTICS BRANCH, Clarence M. Young, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics. Establishment of civil airways and maintenance of aids to air navigation; inspection and registration of aircraft and licensing

of pilots; enforcement of air traffic rules; investigation of acci- dents; encouragement of municipal air ports; fostering of air commerce; scientific research in aeronautics; and dissemination of information relating to commercial aeronautics. (Some

of these functions are performed by special divisions of the Lighthouse Service, the Bureau of Standards, and the Coast and Geodetic Survey.)

BUREAU OF THE CENSUS, William M. Steuart, Director. Taking censuses of population, mines, and quarries, water

transportation, and religious bodies every 10 years; censuses of agriculture and electrical public utilities every 5 years; and a

census of manufactures every 2 years. Compilation of statistics of wealth, public debt and taxation, including financial statistics of local governments, every 10 years; annual compilation of financial statistics of State and municipal governments.

Compilation of statistics of marriage, divorce, births, deaths,

and penal and other institutions annually, and of death rates in

cities and automobile accidents weekly.

Compilation quarterly or monthly of statistics on cotton, wool, leather, and other industries; annually of forest products.

BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE,

F. M. Feiker, Director. The collection of timely information concerning world market

conditions and openings for American products in foreign countries, through commercial attaches, trade commissioners, and

consular officers, and its distribution through weekly Commerce

Reports, bulletins, confidential circulars, the news and trade

press, the monthly Survey of Current Business, and district and

cooperative offices in 65 cities. The maintenance of commodity,

technical, and regional divisions to afford special service to American exporters and manufacturers. The compilation and distribution of lists of possible buyers

and agents for American products in all parts of the world and

publication of weekly lists of specific sales opportunities abroad. The publicity of statistics on imports and exports. The study of the processes of domestic trade and commerce. BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Lyman.I. Briggs, Acting Director- Custody, development, and construction of standards of measurement, cjuality, performance, or practice; comparison of standards used by scientific or other institutions; determination

of physical constants and properties of materials; researches and tests on materials and processes; and publication of scientific and technical bulletins reporting results of researches and

fundamental technical data. Collection and dissemination of information concerning

building codes and the planning and construction of houses. Establishment of simplified commercial practices through

cooperation with business organizations in order to reduce the wastes resulting from excessive variety in commodities.

BUREAU OF MINES, Scott Turner, Director. Technical investigations in the mining, preparation, and

utilization of minerals. Including the study of mine hazards, and

safety methods and of improved methods in the production

and use of minerals.

BUREAU OF MINES—Continued.

Testing of Government fuels and management of the Govern- ment Fuel Yard at Washington.

Research on helium and operation of plants producing it. Studies in the economics and marketing of minerals and col- lection of statistics on mineral resources and mine accidents. The dissemination of results of technical and economic

researches in bulletins, technical papers, mineral resources series, miners’ circulars, and miscellaneous publications.

BUREAU OF FISHERIES, Henry O’Malley, Commissioner.

The propagation and distribution of food fish and shellfish, in order to prevent the depletion of the fisheries; investigations

to promote conservation of fishery resources; the development

of commercial fisheries and agriculture; study of fishery methods,

improvements in merchandising, and collection of fishery statistics; administration of Alaska fisheries and fur seals; and the

protection of sponges off the coast of Florida. BUREAU OF LIGHTHOUSES, George R. Putnam,

Commissioner.

Maintenance of lighthouses and other aids to water navigation. Establishment and maintenance of aids to navigation

along civil airways. Publication of Light Lists, Buoy Lists, and

Notices to Mariners. COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY, R. S. Patton, Director. Survey of the coasts of the United States and publication of charts for the navigation of the adjacent waters, including

Alaska, the Philippine Islands, Hawaii, Porto Rico, the Virgin

Islands, and the Canal Zone; interior control surveys; magnetic

surveys; tide and current observations; and seismological investigations. Publication of results through charts, coast pilots, tide tables, current tables, and special publications.

BUREAU OF NAVIGATION, Arthur J- Tyree, Commissioner.

Superintendence of commercial marine and merchant seamenSupervision of registering, enrolling, licensing, numbering,

etc., of vessels under the United States flag, and the annual

publication of a list of such vessels. Enforcement of the navigation and steamboat inspection laws,

including imposition of fees, fines, tonnage taxes, etc. STEAMBOAT INSPECTION SERVICE, Dickerson N. Hoover,

Supervising Inspector General. The inspection of merchant vessels, including . boilers, hulls, and life-saving equipment, licensing of officers of vessels, certifi- cation of able seamen and lifeboat men, and the investigation of violations of steamboat inspection laws. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, Thomas E. Robertson,

Commissioner.

The granting of patents and the registration of trade-marks,

prints, and labels after technical examination and judicial

proceedings.

Maintenance of library with public search room, containing

copies of foreign and United States patents, and trade-marks. Recording bills of sale, assignments, etc., relating to patents

and trade-marks. Furnishing copies of records pertaining to patents. Publication of the weekly Official Gazette, showing the patents and trade-marks issued.

U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE:1932